By Abdullahi Lukman
Fifteen Chinese nationals and nine Nigerian suspects have been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja following their arrest for allegedly operating an illegal lithium mine in Nasarawa State.
The suspects were apprehended on May 16, 2026, by the Mining Marshals in the Kokona Local Government Area, where they were reportedly mining lithium without lawful authority or a license.
Court documents reveal the illegal operations were
being conducted within a mineral title area legally allocated to TIMADIX Geomin Consult Ltd under Exploration Licence No. 036528-EL.
Appearing before Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia, the defendants—which include the 24 individuals and a corporate entity, C and A International New Energy Ltd—faced charges of unlawful mining.
The offense contravenes the Miscellaneous Offences Act and carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment upon conviction.
Following an application by defense counsel Prof. M. T. Adekilekun, SAN, Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia granted bail to the defendants, releasing them directly into the custody of their lawyer.
In an unusual move, the court did not impose a monetary bond or require external sureties; instead, the accused were ordered to surrender their international passports and national identity cards to the court registrar.
Lead Prosecution Counsel for the Mining Marshals, Mr. Ojo Toluwatope Alex, acknowledged that while bail is at the court’s discretion, the ruling places the strict responsibility on the senior advocate to ensure his clients stand trial.
Alex openly expressed concern regarding the potential flight risk of the foreign nationals, stating he hoped none of the accused would jump bail.
The trial has been adjourned until June 18, 2026. Following the court session, the Commander of the Mining Marshals, Attah John Onoja, reaffirmed the agency’s resolve to sanitize the sector, calling the crackdown on illegal mining a critical national responsibility to protect Nigeria’s mineral resources.
