A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has remanded eight Chinese nationals and one Nigerian to Kuje Prison. The suspects were apprehended by the Mining Marshals, an elite security unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), for unauthorized mining activities in Lokpaukwu community, Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State.
The defendants, including Shen Yongchan, Mo Baixian, Xiao Bin, Huang Xu Fa, Ma Bingli, Yang Jian, Li Peiyin, Que Wenyong, Hiyk Edward Desmond, and Wanda Company Limited, face a three-count charge.
The charges include mining without lawful authority and obstruction of lawful mining operations. This case is part of a broader initiative by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, to sanitize Nigeria’s mining sector.
The Mining Marshals, a 2,570-strong force, aim to eliminate criminal syndicates in mining areas nationwide, reflecting the government’s commitment to maximizing benefits from the country’s mineral resources.
