In connection with alleged illicit lithium mining activities in Nasarawa State, 15 individuals from China, 9 from Nigeria, and a mining firm were arraigned by the Mining Marshals in Abuja’s Federal High Court.
Following their arrest in the state’s Kokona Local Government Area on May 16, 2026, during a combined enforcement operation, the defendants were hauled before Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Court documents state that the accused were apprehended while engaging in mining operations in a mineral-rich region encompassed by Exploration Licence No. 036528-EL, which is legitimately owned by TIMADIX Geomin Consult Ltd.
The accused were charged with engaging in the illegal extraction of lithium within the licensed mining zone in Kokona, a region that is gaining more and more attention for its substantial solid mineral reserves, according to the prosecution.
According to the court records, the defendants faced charges stemming from the Miscellaneous Offences Act, which makes it a crime to engage in unlicensed mining and similar operations.
The individuals in question were alleged to have engaged in mining operations without the proper authorisation from the appropriate regulatory bodies, according to the charge document (FHC/ABJ/CR/281/2026).
According to Nigerian law, illicit mining is considered a major economic crime, and the severity of the punishment varies from a long prison sentence to life in prison.
Among those who have been arraigned are several Chinese nationals: Liu Jiabin, Hu Yunzhong, Zhou Yinmou, Zhao Feng, Zhang Yu, Tian Shuqun, Huang Ruqian, Liu Yanliang, Yang Xiaobin, Huang Meiyun, Yuan Tao, Jia Qiuyong, Chen Menghao, Deng Peiming, and Yu Yanhai.
Elenekou Akoete Joli, Sani Osu, Haruna Asambe, Pius Favour, Jonathan Akpa Sunday, Thankgod Sani, Abubakar Nuhu, Jonathan Akpa Sunday, C and A International New Energy Ltd., and another defendant are all named in the allegation.
Since the federal government relaunched its fight against illegal mining across the country, the arraignment represents one of the most major crackdowns by the Mining Marshals.
The government has long stressed the importance of regulating the mining industry to prevent revenue loss, pollution, and the dilution of trust in the industry.