Chukkol, during a one-day media training for journalists in Kwara State, lamented the activities of illegal mining operators.
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 13 Chinese nationals over alleged offences bordering on illegal mining in Ilorin, Kwara State.
A statement by the Ilorin Zonal Command said the suspects, who comprise a female and 12 males, were arrested on Wednesday at the Government Reserved Area, G.R.A Ilorin following credible intelligence about their activities which included illegal mining and non-payment of royalties to the Federal Government as required by law.
The statement mentions the suspects to be Guo Ya Wang (36), Lizli Hui (42), Guo Jian Rong (36), Lizh Shen Xianian (37), Lishow Wu (26), Guo Pan (38), Lia Meiyu (53), Guo Kai Quan (36) Lin Pan (50) Ma Jan (38), Wendy Wei Suqin (31), Li Zhinguo Wei (29) and Xie Zhinguo (53).
It said that prior to the arrest of the suspects, discreet investigations on the activities of illegal mining operators in Kwara State revealed that the operators have different illegal mining sites in almost all the 16 Local Government Areas of the State.
According to the statement, upon interrogation, the arrested 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.
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“It was gathered that the company was using the illegally mined crude to produce marble and sell locally within Nigeria. Findings also revealed that some of the suspects working in the said company were without work permit but only came with visit permit from China to Abuja and travelled by road to Ilorin,” the statement added.
The EFCC said the suspects would be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of the ongoing investigations.
Acting Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Abdulkarim Chukkol, on Thursday, July 6, 2023 during a one-day media training for journalists in Kwara State lamented the activities of illegal mining operators, describing it as a 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 command 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.