The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, reported that its operatives in Uyo Zonal Command apprehended five Chinese nationals for suspected illegal mining in Ndito-Eka-Iba village, in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, revealed this information in a statement on Sunday, stating that the suspects were detained by the Commission’s Special Task Force on August 29 and September 10.
Oyewale identified the suspects as Zhon Qinping, Li Yi, Xie Bin, Chen Mou Zhou, and Chen Zeng, mentioning that they were all captured at an unauthorized mining location extracting a mineral believed to be ilmenite, a titanium-iron oxide mineral in Ibeno.
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He said the suspects would be charged in 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.”
