By Parrot Newspaper 
Chinese Nationals Arraigned in Lagos over Alleged Illegal Mining
By Parrot Investigative Desk
Lagos, Nigeria – In a case raising fresh concerns over Nigeria’s mineral wealth and foreign exploitation, two Chinese nationals, Zhang Hong Lin and Zhao Pei Hai, were arraigned on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, for allegedly engaging in illegal mining and unauthorized export of critical mineral resources.
The suspects, arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), are facing a five-count charge that includes unlawful possession and exportation of minerals — specifically mica products, copper-bearing, and lithium-bearing ores — without requisite permits from the Nigerian government.
A Shadow Trade in Critical Minerals
The charges paint a troubling picture of an underground mineral trade that may be robbing Nigeria of vital revenues and compromising its control over strategic resources. Lithium, a core component in electric vehicle batteries and digital technology, has seen soaring global demand. Mica and copper also hold substantial industrial value.
According to court filings, the accused conspired with a third party, Gao Pei Yu, who remains at large. One of the charges reads:
> “That you, Zhang Hong Lin, Gao Pei Hai and Gao Pei Yu (at large), sometime in 2025, in Lagos, conspired… to defraud the Federal Government of Nigeria… and without permission of the appropriate authority, engaged in the exportation of Mica Products, Copper bearing and Lithium bearing mineral resources…”
The EFCC believes the group may be part of a wider network engaged in illegal mineral extraction and exportation that evades both environmental regulation and fiscal accountability.
Legal Drama Unfolds
Upon arraignment, both Zhang and Zhao pleaded not guilty. Lead prosecuting counsel, Bilkisu Buhari, accompanied by C.C. Okezie and H.U. Kofarnaisa, urged the court to set a trial date and to remand the defendants in a correctional facility.
The defence, arguing for leniency, requested that the accused remain in EFCC custody pending the hearing of their bail application — a request that Justice Aneke denied. The suspects were ordered to be remanded in a correctional centre until their trial.
Trial Set for July
The court adjourned the case to July 4, 2025, for the commencement of trial.
A Broader National Issue
Parrot Newspaper’s investigation reveals that this case is not isolated. Multiple reports suggest a growing number of illegal mining operations — often with foreign links — particularly targeting Nigeria’s rare earth elements and high-value minerals. These activities have reportedly flourished due to weak enforcement, corrupt local actors, and loopholes in Nigeria’s mining regulations.
The EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate has, in recent months, ramped up operations targeting suspected illegal miners, but sources within the commission say stronger inter-agency collaboration is still needed to effectively trace mineral smuggling routes and dismantle organized syndicates.
Chinese Nationals Arraigned in Lagos over Alleged Illegal Mining
As the court prepares to hear the full case, all eyes are on whether Nigeria will begin to tighten control over its rapidly depleting underground wealth — or whether cases like this will remain symbolic gestures against a deeper, systemic failure.