The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested five suspected illegal miners involved in the extraction and transportation of ilmenite, locally called ‘black sand,’ without the requisite licence in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Mr Oyewale said that the arrest followed weeks of surveillance along the coastlines of Mkpanak, in the Ibeno Local Government Area of the state.

According to him, the suspects are Samuel Eshiet Akwa, Willie Peter Uboko, Muhammed Tukur, Salmannu Ibrahim and Jaafar Adam.

He said that at the time of their arrest, the suspects were conveying 1,200 bags of ilmenite in a truck without authorisation.

He noted, “All they had was a waybill indicating that the consignment belonged to a certain WillJane Global Ventures Ltd. Preliminary investigations into the matter showed that the said company, WillJane Global Ventures Ltd, is owned by one of the suspects, Willie Peter Uboko. He was alleged to have been operating without a mining licence for the past four years and transporting ilmenite to unidentified destinations.’’

He added that during questioning, the suspect confessed that they were on their way to Onne in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to make a delivery when they were arrested.

He said that the suspects were making useful statements and would be charged in court upon conclusion of investigations.  

(NAN)