NEWS: ILLEGAL MINING: ILAJU 41 ARRAIGNED IN IBADAN
A sitting monarch, the Onido of Ido, Muritala Gbolagade
Babalola was recently suspended by the Oyo State government for involvement
with illegal mining activities in Ilaju area of Ido Local Government.
Ilaju, where the monarch resides was raided by security
agents and forty-one persons were apprehended.
The Forty-one persons arrested for allegedly committing illegal
mining activities have been arraigned before a Federal High Court in Ibadan,
the Oyo State capital.
The accused persons were arraigned on Thursday 7th March 2024 before
Justice Uche Agomoh by the Federal Government through the Nigeria Police Force
(NPF).
The defendants were arraigned on a two-count charge
bordering on conspiracy and illegal mining.
According to The Police prosecuting counsel, Mr Michael
Ojeah, under count one, the defendants violated Sections 516 of the Criminal
Code, Cap 38, vol. 11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004
Any person who conspires with
another to commit any felony, or to do any act in any part of the world which
if done in Nigeria would be a felony, and which is an offence under the laws in
force in the place where it is proposed to be done, is guilty of a felony and
is liable, if no other punishment is provided, to imprisonment for seven years,
or, if the greatest punishment to which a person convicted of the felony in
question is liable is less than imprisonment for seven years, then to such
lesser punishment.
Under count two, he said the defendants committed an
offence contrary to and punishable under section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous
Offences Act, Cap M17, Volume 9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Importing or exporting of mineral or mineral ore
(8) Any person who-
(a) with intent to defraud the Federal
Government of the revenue accruing there-from and without the permission of the
appropriate authority, imports into or exports out of Nigeria any mineral or
mineral ore, the importation or exportation of which is prohibited, controlled
or subject to certain condition in any law in force in Nigeria; or
(b) without lawful authority, mines,
purchases or otherwise comes into possession of a mineral or mineral ore, shall
be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to be sentenced to
imprisonment for life; and-
(i) in addition the motor vehicle or vessel as
well as the mineral or mineral ore concerned shall be forfeited to the Federal
Government;
(ii) for the
purposes of this subsection, "mineral" and "mineral ore"
each has the same meaning assigned thereto in the Minerals and Mining Act.
Ojeah further said the defendants without lawful
authority did mine and conceal 24.96 grams of gold ore, valued at N1,248,000,
extracted from an illegal mine site at Onipanu village, Ilaju in Ibadan.
All the 41 defendants pleaded guilty to the charge
Ojeah subsequently informed the court that he was
prepared to present facts following the pleas by the accused.
Inspector Awosanmi Abiola, who led a team of security
operatives that arrested the defendants, testified before Justice Agomoh on the
facts of the case.
Abiola tendered statements of five principal witnesses
and statements of the 41 defendants recorded after the arrest.
Justice Agomoh admitted all the statements tendered and
were marked as exhibits 1 to 46, as the defence counsel, Mr Suraji Musa did not
object.
The case was adjourned till Monday, March 11, 2024 for a
continuation of the trial.
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