The war on illegal mining intensified yesterday as the Federal Government of Nigeria arraigned a group of Chinese nationals for their purported roles in illegal mining activities in Abia State.
The suspects were arrested in Lokpaukwu, a community in Umuchieze, Umunneochi Local Government Area, as part of a broader effort to sanitize the mining industry and curb illegal practices.
The Federal Government has arraigned eight Chinese nationalities and one Nigerian for their involvement in illegal mining activities in the Lokpaukwu community, Umuchieze, within the Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, on Friday, said the suspects were apprehended by the mining marshals, an elite security outfit derived from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The marshals, under the operation, codenamed “Operation Hayakin Kogo”, were established by the minister as part of his seven-point agenda to clean up the mining sector.
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“The establishment of the mining marshals is a crucial step in our agenda to sanitise the mining environment and ensure that Nigeria benefits fully from its mineral resources,” Alake was quoted as saying in a statement by his spokesman, Segun Tomori.
Yesterday, the Federal High Court in Abuja witnessed the commencement of a highly anticipated trial, with Justice J. K. Omotosho at the helm. The proceedings signal a major breakthrough in the case, and the public eagerly awaits the verdict.
The legal team prosecuting the case has lodged a three-count indictment, alleging unauthorized mining activities and deliberate interference with legitimate mining operations. These serious charges set the stage for a intense legal battle.
A group of ten defendants, comprising Shen Yongchan, Mo Baixian, Xiao Bin, Huang Xu Fa, Ma Bingli, Yang Jian, Li Peiyin, Que Wenyong, Hiyk Edward Desmond, and Wanda Company Limited, are facing the music in this highly anticipated trial. Each will have their day in court as the prosecution presents its case.
After hearing pleas and arguments from both sides, the defendants were remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre until the next court date.
