Two Chinese citizens were taken to court in Lagos on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The two men, Zhang Hong Lin and Zhao Pei Hai, were accused of being part of an illegal mining operation.

The EFCC brought five charges against them. These charges were about the unlawful possession and attempted export of mineral resources from Nigeria.

One of the counts reads

“That you, ZHANG HONG LIN, GAO PEI HAI AND GAO PEI YU (AT LARGE) sometime in 2025 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, conspired between yourselves and with intent to defraud the Federal Government of Nigeria of the revenue accruing therefrom and without the permission of the appropriate authority, engaged in the exportation of “Mica Products, Copper bearing and Lithium bearing mineral resources” out of Nigeria, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 1983 and punishable under Section 8 of the same Act.”

When the charges were read in court, both men said they were not guilty.

The EFCC’s legal team, led by Bilkisu Buhari and supported by C.C. Okezie and H.U. Kofarnaisa, asked the judge to set a trial date. They also requested that the suspects be kept in a Correctional Centre while waiting for their trial.

However, the lawyer representing the two men asked the court to keep them in the EFCC’s custody instead, at least until their bail request could be heard.

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke turned down that request and ordered that the two suspects be kept in a Correctional Centre.

The judge then scheduled the trial to begin on July 4, 2025.