A Federal High Court in Ikoyi has ordered the final forfeiture of assets seized from suspects involved in illegal mining in Ogun State to the Federal Government.
Justice Daniel Osiagor granted the order on an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The forfeited items include a mining site in Ode-Remo, a Toyota 4Runner SUV, two trucks loaded with mica and lithium, and a 40-foot container filled with the minerals.
The EFCC said the assets will be disposed of with the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency and court officials, and the proceeds kept in an interest-bearing account pending the outcome of the criminal trial.
According to an EFCC affidavit, a syndicate of Chinese nationals and Nigerians was mining and exporting mica and lithium illegally. The minerals were sourced from different states, processed at the Ode-Remo site, and prepared for export through Apapa Wharf and Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
A sting operation in May 2025 led to the arrest of two Chinese nationals and six Nigerians described as key figures. Trucks and thousands of bags of minerals, some deteriorating due to weather, were recovered during the raid.
