The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has arrested 13 Chinese nationals for allegedly engaging in illegal mining activities in the state.

In a statement on Thursday, Wilson Uwujaren, the EFCC’s spokesperson, said the suspects comprise a female and 12 males.

He said they were arrested on Wednesday at the Government Reserved Area of Ilorin.

“This came about following credible intelligence about their activities, which included but were not limited to illegal mining, non-payment of royalties to the federal government as required by law,” Mr Uwujaren stated.

Mr Uwujaren listed the suspects to include: Guo Ya Wang, 36; Lizli Hui, 42; Guo Jian Rong, 36; Lizh Shen Xianian, 37; Lishow Wu, 26, Guo Pan, 38, and Lia Meiyu, 53.

The rest are Guo Kai Quan, 36; Lin Pan, 50; Ma Jan, 38; Wendy Wei Suqin, 31; Li Zhinguo Wei, 29 and Xie, 53.

The spokesperson revealed that the operators have different illegal mining sites in almost all 16 local government areas of the state.

“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 LGA of the state.

“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 company were without a work permit but came with a visit permit from China to Abuja and travelled by road to Ilorin,” he said.

The acting executive chairman of the EFCC, Abdulkarim Chukkol, had recently lamented the activities of illegal mining operators in some parts of the country.

He described the act as a grave threat to the local and national economy.

(NAN)