The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned one Olamilekan Basit, a truck driver, before Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, for allegedly conveying assorted solid minerals without lawful documentation.
According to details provided by the anti-graft agency, the accused was intercepted at Balla, in Asa Local Government Area of the state, while transporting a large consignment of solid minerals under suspicious circumstances. Preliminary investigations revealed that the minerals were being moved without the necessary permits or authorization from the appropriate regulatory agencies, a clear contravention of Nigeria’s mineral resources laws.
The EFCC maintained that such activities not only violate the provisions of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act but also pose a significant threat to the country’s economy, given the rising cases of illegal mining and unauthorized exploitation of natural resources across several regions.
When the charges were read, Basit pleaded not guilty, setting the stage for what is expected to be a closely-watched legal battle. The prosecution team has expressed readiness to present its case, including material evidence and witness testimonies, to establish the accused’s culpability in the illicit operation.
Justice Awogboro subsequently adjourned the matter to a later date while ordering that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending the hearing of his bail application.
The EFCC reiterated its commitment to clamping down on illegal mining and the unlawful transportation of mineral resources, stressing that such acts not only deprive the country of critical revenue but also fuel environmental degradation and economic sabotage.
