Operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested ten suspects over their alleged involvement in illegal mining and unlawful transportation of solid minerals in Kwara State. The arrests followed a coordinated intelligence-led operation carried out along the Ilorin–Ogbomosho axis, a corridor that has recently drawn the attention of law enforcement agencies over suspected mineral trafficking activities.
According to the anti-graft agency, the suspects comprise nine truck drivers and one escort who were intercepted while conveying solid minerals believed to have been mined without lawful authorisation. Preliminary findings indicate that the suspects could not provide valid licences, permits, or regulatory documents required for the mining and movement of such minerals under Nigerian law.
Items recovered during the operation include several trucks loaded with solid minerals identified as lithium, tin and lepidolite. The EFCC said the minerals, as well as the trucks used in conveying them, have been taken into its custody as investigations continue.
The commission disclosed that the arrests were carried out following credible intelligence linking the suspects to an organised network involved in the extraction and transportation of solid minerals outside the framework of the law. Officials noted that illegal mining activities pose serious economic and environmental risks, including revenue losses to the government and degradation of host communities.
The EFCC further stated that the suspects are currently undergoing interrogation and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations. The agency reiterated its commitment to supporting the federal government’s drive to sanitise the solid minerals sector and clamp down on economic crimes associated with illegal mining across the country.
The latest arrests add to a growing list of enforcement actions by the EFCC and other security agencies as authorities intensify efforts to curb illegal mining activities, particularly in states with rich mineral deposits such as Kwara.
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