The Mining Marshals have arrested Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Abdulmajeed Abisoye Oyewumi over allegations that he helped Chinese nationals standing trial for illegal mining offences escape justice in Nasarawa State.
According to the agency, criminal charges have been filed against the officer and other suspects for allegedly obstructing justice. The Chinese nationals are facing trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja but failed to appear in court for the fourth consecutive time. Although their lawyer claimed they were involved in an accident, no medical or FRSC report was presented to support the explanation.
Justice M. S. Liman subsequently revoked the defendants’ bail and issued bench warrants for their arrest. The Mining Marshals alleged that intelligence reports revealed CSP Oyewumi, alongside other police officers and an immigration official under investigation, facilitated the escape of two of the defendants through the Nigeria-Cameroon border before the warrants were issued.
The officer was also accused of planning to help another defendant, Ren Quan Chen, flee through the same route.
Following the court order, operatives tracked Chen to an apartment in Abuja’s Apo Legislative Quarters, where they allegedly found CSP Oyewumi, a Chinese woman identified as Sun Hui, and another police officer, Inspector Kingsley Monkap.
Commander of the Mining Marshals, Attah John Onoja, described the alleged actions as a serious attempt to obstruct justice, warning that anyone who helps suspects evade prosecution becomes “an accessory after the fact.” He added that such conduct is even more disturbing when committed by serving police officers and could attract dismissal from the Nigeria Police Force.
The agency said all suspects have been charged and will be re-arraigned in court. It also disclosed that the apartment has been sealed as evidence, while live amm¥nition, suspected rare minerals, electronic devices and bank records recovered from the premises are undergoing forensic examination.
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