Nigerian authorities have apprehended five Chinese nationals

Nigerian authorities have apprehended five Chinese nationals and four Nigerians for illegal mining activities in Niger State.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced that its operatives from the Kaduna Zonal Directorate arrested the nine suspected illegal miners in Kaniyan Village, located in the Mokwa Local Government Area. The arrests came after the commission received actionable intelligence regarding illegal mining operations in the vicinity. The detained individuals include five Chinese nationals—Wu Ping, Xu XianLiang, Xu Aimin, Xeu Cihuo, and Liu Changhua—and four Nigerian suspects, namely Ibrahim Abdullahi, Sunday Oladele, Destiny John, and Bulus Samuel. During the operation, EFCC agents confiscated a significant amount of industrial mining and power equipment believed to have been used in the illegal activities. The items seized include various power generators—Stamford, Inlong, Taiyo, Senwei SP6800, Laison 40000x, JMC, Yuchai, and Kaishan KSCY-33018 models—as well as three industrial crushing machines and smaller counterparts. Additional equipment recovered from the suspects features a Quangutaigaajing JIareshebei gold melting machine, four small dumper trucks, three pay loaders, three Elepaq water pumping machines, a Tacoma truck, a Lexus 470 SUV, and three large diesel rubber tanks. Moreover, the EFCC operatives found a welding machine (Bx1-400), a 25.2kg supply of activated carbon chemical, four drilling machines, an extractor, four gas-powered generators, a filing machine, two large gas cylinders, and a Honda water pump. Other recovered items include a laptop, two mining safety helmets, two small scales, a white detection device, and seven bottles of unidentified chemicals. The operatives also discovered two cartons of explosives and three blasting caps, raising further concerns regarding potential safety and environmental violations. The EFCC has confirmed that the suspects are currently in custody and will face charges in court once the ongoing investigations are completed. Illegal mining has emerged as a serious issue in Nigeria, particularly in mineral-rich regions like Niger, with authorities frequently associating it with economic sabotage, environmental harm, and security threats. The EFCC has reiterated its commitment to tackling such crimes through continuous intelligence gathering and enforcement efforts, as reported by Sahara Reporters.