The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Uyo Zonal Command, has arrested five Chinese nationals for suspected illegal mining operations in Ndito-Eka-Iba village, Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The arrests, which took place between August 29 and September 10, followed credible intelligence on the activities of foreign mining companies in the region.
According to EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, the individuals were caught extracting ilmenite, a titanium-iron oxide mineral, at an unlicensed mining site. The arrested suspects include Zhon Qinping, Li Yi, Xie Bin, Chen Mou Zhou, and Chen Zeng.
The EFCC’s Special Task Force carried out the operation, and Oyewale confirmed that once investigations are completed, the suspects will face charges in court. The crackdown highlights the commission’s commitment to tackling illegal mining and protecting Nigeria’s mineral resources from exploitation.
Illegal mining, which refers to mining activities conducted without government authorization, including the absence of necessary land rights, licenses, and permits, poses a significant threat to Nigeria’s economy. Minerals like gold, aquamarine, sapphire, tourmaline, tin, columbite, coal, lead/zinc, fluorite, and sand are particularly vulnerable to illegal extraction, as highlighted by the 2022 National Inherent Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing in the Nigerian Extractive Sector.
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Despite the magnitude of these activities, enforcement and prosecution efforts have lagged, with convictions failing to adequately address the scale of the problem. The impact of illegal mining continues to undermine the country’s economic growth, environmental sustainability, and lawful mining operations.
The 2022 National Inherent Risk Assessment report underscores the limited enforcement efforts against illegal mining in Nigeria, citing only three cases investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in 2020. Convictions have also been sparse, with just two cases of illegal gold dealing prosecuted in 2019.
Notably, Chinese nationals have been at the center of several illegal mining cases in the country. For example, in July 2023, the EFCC’s Ilorin Zonal Command arrested 13 Chinese nationals in Kwara State for allegedly engaging in illegal mining activities without paying royalties to the federal government. Among those apprehended were Guo Ya Wang, Lizli Hui, and others connected to W. Mining Global Service Limited, a Chinese company operating in the region.
These incidents reflect a broader issue of foreign involvement in illegal mining, exacerbating the challenges of regulation and enforcement in Nigeria’s mining sector.
Credible News.ng
