Pix: Dele Alake, Solid Minerals Minister
As the sun set, trucks started to rumble through the town of Bani in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State. Loaded with lithium, the trucks began their journey to distant locations under the cover of darkness on this day in August, often evading the scrutiny of law enforcement agencies.
Bani was a quiet farming town until it became a destination for unlicensed miners chasing lithium as the global demand for the minerals needed to drive the transition to renewable energy surged. Despite intensified government crackdowns, illegal mining continues to thrive in Kwara State, driven by the high demand for minerals, leading to revenue losses for the government.
“The financial loss is immense,” said Afeez Alabi, the Kwara State Commissioner for Solid Minerals Development. “A ton of lithium sells for over $70,000, yet hundreds of trucks of lithium are illegally moved out of the state without record.”
But the socio-ecological consequence is also devastating. Farmers say they have lost their land to miners, who are sometimes armed, in remote communities where government institutions are virtually absent.
A well-oiled operation
Location of Bani on Google Map
The illegal mining operations in Bani, located at Google Earth coordinates 9°08’38.2 “N 4°11’53.3 “E and bordering Igbeti in Oyo State, are only accessible by a dusty road through the Old Oyo National Park. The operations are well-organised and involve a network of local youths working for patrons, including foreigners, mostly Chinese, and local mineral traders.
A truck driver, Segun Abifarin, said Chinese buyers provide villagers with money to procure the minerals. After securing the ore, they contact transporters, like himself, in Ilorin to move the minerals to Ogun State.
Mr Abifarin also said that the transportation cost is between N1.9 million and N2.3 million, depending on the state of the road at the time of travelling.