Gold Mining Crackdown: Chinese, Nigerians apprehended in Niger

Nine people have been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for engaging in illegal mining activities in Kaniyan Village, located in the Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.

The suspects include five Chinese nationals: Wu Ping, Xu Xianliang, Xu Aimin, Xiu Cihuo, and Liu Changhua.

The four Nigerians involved are Ibrahim Abdullahi, Sunday Oladele, Destiny John, and Bulus Samuel.

Their arrest followed a tip-off received by EFCC operatives, who moved in and apprehended the group.

A large number of items were found in their possession, including various sizes of industrial crushing machines, several power generators of different brands, a gold melting machine, dumper trucks, pay loaders, water pumping machines, a Lexus 470 SUV, and a Tacoma truck.

Authorities also recovered diesel storage tanks, gas cylinders, drilling and welding machines, explosives, blasting caps, bottles of chemicals, mining helmets, detection devices, a laptop computer, and weighing scales.

According to EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, the suspects will be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded.