Nigeria Courts Sentences Chinese Nationals for Illegal Mineral Export

The Federal High Court in Lagos, presided over by Justice Akintayo Aluko, convicted two Chinese nationals, Zhang Hong Lin and Gao Pei Hai, of conspiring to illegally export Nigeria's lithium‑bearing, copper‑bearing and mica minerals. The defendants were found guilty on five counts of conspiracy, unlawful possession and attempted export without authority. Court documents ordered the forfeiture of the seized mineral resources to the Nigerian government. Reports differ on the length of the prison terms: one source cites a 25‑year sentence per count, while another reports a five‑year term per count, both with substantial fines.

The case was investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which highlighted the fraud against the federal government’s mineral revenue.