From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
The Federal High Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, has convicted two men, Mohammed Umar and Usman Ishaku, for illegally possessing and transporting a combined 60 metric tonnes of mineral resources, ordering them to pay a total of N12 million to the Federal Government.
The convicts were sentenced by Justice Abimbola Awogboro, after separately pleading guilty to the one-count charges brought against them by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Umar was arrested over the unlawful possession and transportation of 40 tonnes of minerals in a truck with registration number AAA 998 XH at Share, Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State, on February 5, 2024.
The offence was said to be contrary to Section 1(8)(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 1984.
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Similarly, Ishaku was convicted for transporting 20 metric tonnes of mineral resources in a truck with registration number GSW 410 XA in February 2026, contrary to Section 134(b) of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.
Following their guilty pleas, EFCC counsel, M.M. Kaigama, urged the court to convict the defendants, arguing that their admissions of guilt and the uncontroverted evidence presented before the court were sufficient to establish the charges against them.
In his judgment, Justice Awogboro sentenced Umar to one year imprisonment, with an option of N1 million fine payable to the Federal Government.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of the 40 tonnes of minerals recovered from his truck and directed him to pay an additional N5 million to the Federal Government through the EFCC as compensation for the economic loss caused by his illegal activities.
Ishaku was equally sentenced to one year imprisonment, with an option of N1 million fine. He was also ordered to pay N5 million to the Federal Government through the EFCC for the economic loss resulting from his illegal mineral transportation activities.
The judgments underscore the legal consequences of unauthorised possession and transportation of mineral resources, as authorities intensify efforts to curb illegal mining and protect the country’s mineral wealth.
