EFCC Arrests Two Chinese, Six Nigerians for Illegal Mining in Ogun State; Supreme Court Revokes Fred Ajudua’s Bail, Orders Return to Prison

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, have arrested two Chinese nationals and six Nigerians over alleged involvement in illegal mining activities in Ogun State. The arrests were made during a sting operation on Friday, May 9, 2025, in the Ogere area following actionable intelligence and weeks of surveillance by EFCC agents.

The suspects, identified as Zhang Hang Lin, Gao Pei Hai, Matthew Mathias, Oluwaseun Amoo, Wasiu Ademola Alao, Ajibola Nurudeen, Ibrahim Yinusa, and Saidu Shuaibu, were apprehended at the mining site. Preliminary findings revealed that the group had been operating without licenses, extracting and processing minerals suspected to include valuable lithium powder and other solid minerals from the area.

EFCC Recovers Trucks, Minerals, and Items from Arrested Miners

During the operation, EFCC operatives seized three trucks loaded with sacks of substances suspected to be ground lithium powder. The trucks, believed to be used in transporting illegally mined minerals out of the state, were impounded as evidence pending further investigation. Other items recovered included samples of low-grade lithium and unspecified solid minerals believed to have been mined from restricted sites.

Additional items confiscated from the suspects include a Toyota 4Runner SUV, mobile phones, international passports, ATM cards, four LED flashlights, and various documents allegedly linked to their operations. The EFCC confirmed that the suspects are currently assisting investigators with information and will be formally charged once investigations are concluded.

EFCC Wins Appeal as Supreme Court Revokes Fred Ajudua’s Bail

In a separate legal development, the Supreme Court on Friday, May 5, 2025, ruled in favor of the EFCC by revoking the bail previously granted to Lagos-based socialite Fred Ajudua. The apex court allowed the EFCC’s appeal challenging the Lagos Court of Appeal’s decision to grant Ajudua bail, thereby reversing the earlier ruling and ordering that Ajudua be remanded at the correctional center.

Ajudua, who has been on trial since 2005 for allegedly defrauding a Palestinian, Zad Abu Zalaf, of $1,043,000 under fraudulent pretenses, had leveraged multiple legal technicalities to delay his trial for years. The case, initially before Justice M.O. Obadina of the Lagos State High Court, faced numerous adjournments until it was re-assigned to Justices J.E. Oyefeso and later M.A. Dada, where Ajudua was finally arraigned in June 2018.

Supreme Court Upholds Trial Judge’s Rulings, Rejects Appeals

The EFCC had filed two separate appeals before the Supreme Court—one challenging Ajudua’s bail and another challenging the appellate court’s directive to transfer his trial to a new judge for a fresh hearing (de novo). In its ruling, the Supreme Court upheld Justice Dada’s initial refusal to grant bail and dismissed the appeal seeking a transfer of the case, describing it as academic.

The court further directed the Chief Judge of Lagos State to return the case to Justice Dada for continuation of trial. This decision effectively quashed Ajudua’s efforts to restart the trial before a new judge, allowing proceedings to continue from where they were halted. Legal analysts have described the ruling as a significant victory for the EFCC in its prolonged effort to prosecute Ajudua.

EFCC Intensifies Crackdown on Economic Crimes

The twin successes recorded by the EFCC—arresting suspects for illegal mining and securing a Supreme Court judgment against Ajudua—underscore the commission’s intensifying clampdown on economic crimes across Nigeria. The EFCC has reiterated its commitment to prosecuting illegal mining, which deprives the country of critical revenue and threatens the environment.

In a statement, theEconomic and Financial Crimes Commission urged Nigerians and foreign nationals engaged in illegal mining and other economic crimes to desist or face the full wrath of the law. Legal proceedings against the eight arrested miners are expected to commence soon, while Ajudua’s trial will resume under Justice Dada’s courtroom in line with the Supreme Court’s directive.