Taiwo Popoola
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, said its operatives in Uyo Zonal Command have arrested five Chinese for suspected illegal mining
at Ndito-Eka-Iba village, in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, said the suspects were arrested by the Commission’s Special Task Force on August 29 and September 10.
Oyewale who named the suspects to include Zhon Qinping, Li Yi, Xie Bin, Chen Mou Zhou and Chen Zeng, said they were all arrested at an illegal mining site of a mineral suspected to be ilmenite, a titanium-iron oxide mineral at Ibeno.
He said the suspects would be charged to court upon completion of investigations.
Parts of the statement read, “Operatives of the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, have arrested five suspected illegal Chinese miners at Ndito-Eka-Iba village, in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
“The five alleged illegal miners were arrested by the “Special Task Force on illegal Mining” at the Commission’s Zonal office in Uyo, following credible intelligence on the illegal activities of foreign mining companies within Eket and Ibeno Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State.
“They were all arrested at an illegal mining site of a mineral suspected to be ilmenite, a titanium- iron oxide mineral.”
