EFCC secures conviction of truck driver Kasimu Bawa for unlawful possession of minerals worth N2.4m in Kwara State
ILORIN, Nigeria, May 11, 2026. The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has secured the conviction of a 50-year-old truck driver, Kasimu Bawa, for unlawful possession of minerals valued at ₦2.4 million.
Also read: Moses Oddiri trial begins over alleged EFCC defamation
EFCC secures jail term for illegal mineral offence was delivered by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, where the defendant was sentenced to two years imprisonment or an option of a ₦5 million fine.
Bawa, who hails from Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State, was arrested in September 2022 while transporting 25 tons of suspected illegally mined minerals along the Share–Tsaragi Road in Kwara State.
Court records showed that the minerals were later confirmed by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency to be lepidolite, a lithium-bearing mineral, following forensic analysis.
EFCC bags conviction for illegal mineral possession also revealed that the truck used in conveying the minerals had been linked to a Chinese national earlier convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment over a related offence.
During trial, the prosecution presented witnesses, including investigators and experts, to establish that the defendant transported the minerals without lawful authority.
Justice Awogboro held that the prosecution successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and ordered the forfeiture of both the truck and the minerals to the Federal Government.
Also read: Peter Okoye testifies in Jude Okoye EFCC trial
The ruling underscores ongoing efforts by anti-graft agencies to curb illegal mining and protect Nigeria’s solid mineral resources.
Mariam Balogun is a contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
