The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested 14 Chinese nationals and one Nigerian. The arrests occurred at four illegal lithium processing plants in the Ogere area of Ogun State. The commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja. The arrests were made on Friday. They followed credible intelligence and surveillance.
Nigeria’s mining sector is underdeveloped. Lithium has become a critical mineral. Global demand for batteries has surged. Chinese firms dominate processing. In 2023, the government banned raw mineral exports to encourage local processing. In 2024, it introduced incentives for local refining. Illegal mining has expanded. It is largely informal. It damages the environment. It deprives the state of revenue. The EFCC has prosecuted illegal miners before. In 2026, it secured convictions in Kano and Kebbi. The current arrests target processing plants. That is a shift from artisanal mining to industrial-scale illegality.
The suspects were arrested at four plants. Items recovered included bags of lithium rocks, 18 mobile devices, four laptops, two decoders, a television remote control and a trailer truck. The suspects will be charged to court after investigation. The EFCC did not disclose the quantity of lithium or the value. The plants were operating without licences. The Chinese nationals are suspected of running the operations. The Nigerian is believed to be a local collaborator.
The arrests raise questions. How long had the plants operated? Who issued approvals? Did they export lithium illegally? The EFCC investigation will address those. The case is significant. It involves foreign nationals. It involves a strategic mineral. It involves processing, not just extraction. The government wants local processing, but it wants it legally.
Winners: The EFCC, which demonstrates enforcement. The Federal Government, which gains revenue if the operations are shut down. Legal miners, who face less unfair competition. Local communities, which may gain from reduced environmental damage. Losers: The 15 suspects, who face prosecution. The illegal network, which loses plants and equipment. The Nigerian collaborator, who faces charges. The lithium trade, which faces disruption. Chinese investors, who face scrutiny.
Bottom Line: Fifteen arrested at four illegal plants. Lithium is strategic. The government wants legal processing. The EFCC is acting. The case must proceed. The environment and the treasury deserve protection.