Operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC have arrested 13 Chinese Nationals for offences bordering on illegal mining in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The information contained is a statement by the EFCC explains that the offence is punishable under Section 1(8) (b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17, 1983.
The suspects which include a female and 12 males were arrested on Wednesday at the Government Reserved Area, G.R.A Ilorin following credible intelligence about their illegal mining activities and non-payment of royalties to the Federal Government as required by Law.
Prior to their arrest, discrete investigations on the activities of illegal mining in Kwara State revealed that the operators have different illegal mining sites in almost all the 16 Local Government Areas of the state and upon interrogation, the suspects confessed to be workers of a Chinese Company known as ‘W. Mining Global Service Limited’ situated at Olayinka in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
It was also gathered that the company was using the illegally mined granite to produce marble for sale locally in Nigeria. Findings also revealed that some of the suspects working in the said company were without work permit but only entered Nigeria with visitor’s visa.
The EFCC said the suspects would be arraigned in court upon conclusion of the investigations.
The Acting Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Abdulkarim Chukkol had during a one-day media training for journalists in Kwara State lamented the activities of illegal mining operators, describing it as grave threat to local and national economy.
Within the last eight months, no fewer than 80 illegal operators had been arrested by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC and 24 truckloads of assorted minerals impounded.
The Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC had on September 10, 2022 arrested a Chinese National, Dang Deng, managing director of Sinuo Xinyang Nigeria Ltd for being in possession of 25 tons of assorted crude minerals and got him convicted on October 19, 2022 before Justice Mohammed Sani of the Federal High Court, Ilorin.
The EFCC had warned that it would be unrelenting in the fight against corruption just as it is leaving no stone unturned in breaking the rings of the illegal mining operators across Nigeria.
Editor: Hadiza.A.A
