Posted by In Ilorin, Kwara State, members of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) Ilorin Zonal Command detained 13 Chinese nationals on suspicion of unlawful mining activities.
Mr Wilson Uwuajaren, the EFCC’s head of Media and Publicity, made the announcement on Thursday.
According to the statement, the suspects, who included a female and 12 males, were apprehended on Wednesday, July 12, at the Government Reserved Area, G.R.A Ilorin, following credible intelligence about their activities, which included but were not limited to illegal mining and non-payment of royalties to the Federal Government as required by law.
“Operators of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s Ilorin Zonal Command, EFCC, have arrested 13 Chinese nationals for offences bordering on illegal mining in Ilorin, Kwara State,” according to the statement. The offense violates and is penalized under Section 1(8) (b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, 1983.
“The suspects, a female and 12 males, were apprehended on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at the Government Reserved Area, G.R.A Ilorin, following credible intelligence about their activities, which included but were not limited to illegal mining and non-payment of royalties to the Federal Government as required by law.”
“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) are the suspects.”
“Others include Ma Jan (38), Wendy Wei Suqin (31) Li Zhinguo Wei (29) and Xie Zhinguo (53).”
“Prior to their arrest, discrete investigations into the activities of illegal mining operators in Kwara State revealed that the operators have various illegal mining sites in almost all of the State’s 16 Local Government Areas.”
“During interrogation, the arrested suspects admitted to being employees of a Chinese company called W. Mining Global Service Limited, which is based in Olayinka, Ifelodun Local Government Area, Kwara State.”
“It was discovered that the company was producing marble from illegally mined crude and selling it locally in Nigeria.” “Discoveries also revealed that some of the suspects working in the said company did not have a ‘work permit,’ but only arrived in Abuja with a ‘visit permit’ from China and traveled by road to Ilorin,” the EFCC stated.
When the continuing investigations are completed, the suspects will be arraigned in court.