The Nigerian government on Wednesday arraigned three Chinese nationals and their company over alleged illegal mining activities.
Song Fei, Li Teng Fei, and Fei Shan, along with their firm, Lian Hua Quarry Nigeria Limited, faced three charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
They pleaded not guilty to three charges including conspiracy and illegal mining offences, when their offences were read to them on Wednesday.
After their not guilty plea, the prosecuting lawyer, Alex Ojo, prayed the court to remand them in correctional centre pending commencement of trial.
Mr Ojo argued that the defendants “are a flight risk.”
However, the defendants’ lawyer, S.M Nwosu, urged the court to admit his clients to bail.
In a short ruling, the judge, Nkeonye Maha, granted bail to the defendants.
Ms Maha ordered the defendants to submit their passports to the registrar of the court.
She also ordered the defendants to produce three sureties with landed properties within Abuja.
The judge also ordered the sureties to submit their certificates of occupancy of their properties to the court.
Thereafter, the judge remanded the defendants at the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, pending the fulfilment of their bail conditions.
The suit was adjourned until 31 May for hearing.
Charges
The Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) is prosecuting the defendants on behalf of the federal government in a suit marked, FHC/ABJ/CR/177/2023.
In the charges with scanty details, the prosecution accused the defendants of illegal mining activities without naming mineral resources involved.
The charges disclosed that the offences were committed between 13 August 202 and 18 February 2023, but did not disclose where it took place.
The prosecution accused the defendants of conspiracy, and, in another count, unlawful mining of “mineral” through “quarrying and carrying out quarrying operations” without lawful authority.
In the third count, the government accused the defendants of undertaking “the exploitation of mineral resources”.
The defendants were said to have violated sections 3(6), 1(8)(b), 43(1), (7) and 131 (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
NSCDC cracking down on illegal miners
Nigeria has vast reserves of gold, coal, lead/zinc ore, limestone, iron ore, and bitumen, which largely extracted through artisanal minning.
It has been estimated that the country loses billions of dollars to illegal minning annually.
NSCDC’s lawyer, Mr Ojo, said on Wednesdsy that his organisation was taking steps to address illegal mining exploration also linked to terrorism financing.
He quoted the Commandant General of NSCDC, Hamed Abubakar Audi, as saying, “the corps is resolved to continue to deal with all manner of criminalities in line with its mandate for internal security and protection of critical national infrastructure.”
