The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Kwara State has intercepted a truck carrying 36 tonnes of suspected lithium ore along the Jebba Expressway in Ilorin.
State Commandant Abbas Nda-Mohammed said the truck, marked DKA 990 XJ and registered in Kaduna, was stopped around 10 p.m. on Friday during an intelligence-led operation by the Mines and Steel Unit of the command’s Special Patrol Team.
According to Nda-Mohammed, preliminary investigations revealed that the occupants could not produce valid mining licences, waybills, or any legal documents authorizing the possession and transportation of the minerals. Three suspects were arrested at the scene in connection with the incident.
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The commandant stated that further investigations are ongoing to trace the source of the lithium and identify the mining company involved. He added that those found culpable will be prosecuted once investigations are concluded.
Nda-Mohammed reaffirmed the corps’ commitment to protecting critical national assets and said the command would intensify operations against illegal mining and other criminal activities across Kwara State.
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