Nigeria, March 11 -- The Federal High Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, has convicted and sentenced two Chinese nationals to two years imprisonment for illegal mining, but offered them an option of fine.

The trial judge also ordered the convicts to remit N14 million in royalties to the federal government.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture of all solid minerals found on the premises of their company in Ogun State to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The prosecuting agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), named the convicts as Yang Chao and Wu Shan Chuan in a press statement released on Monday.

The EFCC had charged the duo alongside their company Crius Chemical Nigeria Limited with one count of deal...