Kwara Court Sentences Illegal Miner to Five Years

A Kwara State High Court in Ilorin convicted 52-year-old Ilori Elicanah on January 21, 2026, sentencing him to five years in prison for illegal possession of solid minerals without lawful authority. Justice Abimbola Awogboro ruled the act violated Section 1(8)(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1983 . The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC secured the conviction after arraigning Elicanah in October 2024 over minerals mined in September 2022 and transported in a truck with plate number BDG678XU .

Trial Proceedings

Prosecutors presented two witnesses and five exhibits (A-E), proving Elicanah lacked a mining license despite defense claims of verbal permission from Tascon Plastic Industry Nigeria Limited. EFCC counsel Sesan Ola highlighted admissions during cross-examination that no license or royalty payments to the Federal Government existed, as required by Section 1 of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007 ​. The defense called four witnesses, closing on July 11, 2025, but the court found EFCC evidence credible under Section 131 of the Evidence Act ​.

Judicial Ruling

Justice Awogboro determined the key issue: whether Elicanah had lawful authority for the minerals. She rejected defense pleas for acquittal due to uncalled witnesses, deeming prosecution proof beyond reasonable doubt and backed by judicial precedents ​. The ruling underscores federal control over Nigeria’s mineral resources and intensifies EFCC’s campaign against illegal mining, which has surged amid economic pressures in states like Kwara ​.

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Broader Context

This case follows other EFCC actions in Kwara, including a July 2025 forfeiture of a truck (PKA216YR) and 30 tons of minerals after no claimant emerged ​. Illegal mining persists nationwide, evading royalties and fueling security issues, with convictions like this signaling stricter enforcement . Elicanah’s arrest stemmed from EFCC intelligence on illicit operations ​.