EFCC recovers lithium, vehicles after arrest of two Chinese, others for illegal mining
Abdullateef Fowewe
The operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, have recovered a cache of items during the arrest of eight individuals, including two Chinese nationals, for alleged involvement in illegal mining activities in Ogere, Ogun State.
At the point of arrest, three trucks loaded with sacks of substances suspected to be ground lithium powder and other unidentified solid minerals were recovered from the suspects.
Additional items seized include a Toyota 4Runner SUV, multiple mobile phones, samples of low-grade lithium, several Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards, international passports belonging to the suspects, four LED flashlights, and various documents believed to be linked to their operations
In a statement on the X (formally Twitter) handle of the anti-graft agency, the suspects were identified to include: Zhang Hang Lin, Gao Pei Hai, Matthew Mathias, Oluwaseun Amoo, Wasiu Ademola Alao, Ajibola Nurudeen, Ibrahim Yinusa and Saidu Shuaibu.
The statement reads, “Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, have arrested two Chinese and six Nigerians for alleged involvement in illegal mining activities in the Ogere area of Ogun State.
“The suspects: Zhang Hang Lin, Gao Pei Hai, Matthew Mathias, Oluwaseun Amoo, Wasiu Ademola Alao, Ajibola Nurudeen, Ibrahim Yinusa and Saidu Shuaibu were arrested on Friday, 9 May 2025, during a sting operation following credible intelligence received by the Commission and detailed surveillance carried out on them.
“At the point of arrest, operatives recovered three trucks loaded with sacks of substances suspected to be ground lithium powder and other yet-to-be-identified solid minerals.
“Other items recovered from the suspects include a Toyota 4Runner SUV, mobile phones, samples of low grade lithium, Automated Teller Machine, ATM cards, the suspects’ international passports, four pieces of LED Flashlight and other documents.
“The suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.”
