A Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin has convicted two persons and a company for illegal mining activities in contravention of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.
The convicts, Samuel Sunday, who was arraigned on a one-count charge, and Saheed Lawal Akanji alongside his company, Saaskrona Nigeria Limited, who were separately arraigned on a two-count charge, were prosecuted before Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin.
According to a statement by the Media Unit of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, their journey to jail followed credible intelligence received by the commission alleging that some individuals were illegally dealing in and processing solid minerals in Kwara State without the requisite licences.
Acting on the intelligence, EFCC operatives carried out surveillance, which led to the arrest of a number of suspects.
While Sunday was arrested at his factory located in the Olorunda area, beside Deeper Life Camp, Eiyenkorin, Akanji was arrested at his factory opposite Ojaja University, along Passa Road, Eiyenkorin, Kwara State.
Investigations revealed that the defendants were unlawfully dealing in and processing various solid minerals, including Smithsonite, Calcite, Anhydrite, Tennantite, and Quartz, without the licences required under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.
The charge against Sunday read: “That you, Samuel Sunday, sometime in June 2026, within the judicial division of the Federal High Court, did possess minerals without permit contrary to the provisions of Section 93, read along with Section 131(d) of the Nigerian Minerals and
