FG arraigns eight Chinese nationals over ‘illegal mining’

The federal government says eight Chinese nationals and one Nigerian were arrested for alleged illegal mining in Lokpaukwu community, Umunneochi LGA, Abia state.

In a statement on Friday, Segun Tomori, special assistant on media to Dele Alake, minister of solid minerals development, said the suspects were arrested by operatives of the mining marshal.

The mining marshal is a security outfit carved out of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). It is tasked with ridding the mining sector of illegal operators.

Tomori said the suspects were arraigned on Thursday before James Omotosho, the presiding judge, at the federal high court in Abuja.

The suspects were remanded on a three-count charge bordering on “mining without lawful authority, obstruction of lawful mining operations, among others”.

After hearing the arguments of the prosecution and defence, the judge ordered that the suspects be remanded at the Kuje correctional centre until the resumption of trial.

He named the suspects as Shen Yongchan, Mo Baixian, Xiao Bin, Huang Xu Fa, Ma Bingli, Yang Jian, Li Peiyin, Que Wenyong, Hiyk Edward Desmond, and Wanda Company Limited.

Tomori added that the minister is committed to enhancing the mining marshals’ operations through technology and deployment of additional equipment.