By Folayimika Akanbi
The Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin on Tuesday granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) an interim attachment order for nine trucks loaded with assorted solid minerals, which were allegedly illegally acquired.
Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the court granted the order after listening to the EFCC’$ ex parte application.
Operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the anti-graft agency had intercepted the nine trucks during a sting operation on February 1, 2026, which led to the arrest of several suspects.
Investigations revealed that the minerals were allegedly mined and transported without lawful authority.
Consequently, the commission approached the court seeking an interim attachment of the vehicles pursuant to Sections 6(d), 7(2) and 34(1) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004, as well as Section 329 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
Moving the application, EFCC counsel, Cosmas Ugwu, urged the court to grant an order restraining any form of disposal, sale, lease, mortgage or tampering with the trucks and their contents pending the conclusion of investigations.
The commission supported the application with a ten-paragraph affidavit, which an EFCC investigator, Ali Aji Muhammed, deposed to, stating that the vehicles were recovered conveying solid minerals sourced from unlicensed miners.
In her ruling, Justice Awogboro granted the application and ordered the interim forfeiture of the nine trucks and the minerals contained in them.
Some of the affected vehicles include a Dongfeng truck with registration number T23-938-LA, a DAF truck marked DKU 566 XA, a Shacman truck with registration number AAA 95 YN and a Howo truck with registration number TRE 419 YJ.
In a related development, the court also ordered the final forfeiture of solid minerals contained in a truck with number plate LRN 122 XXX after the property was declared unclaimed and subsequently came into the possession of the commission.
The litigation is in continuation of the anti-graft agency’s crackdown on illegal mining activities in Kwara and Oyo States.
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