EFCC Arrests 10 Suspects for Illegal Mining in Kwara

Operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested ten individuals suspected of engaging in illegal mining along the Ilorin–Ogbomosho axis. The arrests, made on February 1, 2026, followed credible intelligence on unlawful excavation and transportation of minerals in parts of Kwara and Oyo States, according to EFCC Ilorin Zonal Office’s Head of Media, Dele Oyewale.

The suspects, including nine truck drivers and one escort, were intercepted in a coordinated operation. Recovered items included trucks loaded with unlawfully mined solid minerals such as lithium, tin, and lepidolite. EFCC confirmed that the suspects lacked the necessary licences, permits, or regulatory approvals and said they would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.

Written by Adeyemi Adewale