The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested five individuals suspected of illegal mining activities in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The suspects were allegedly involved in the extraction and transportation of ilmenite, commonly referred to as ‘black sand,’ without the required government license.
EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed the arrests in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja. According to Oyewale, the operation followed weeks of surveillance along the coastal areas of Mkpanak in Ibeno Local Government Area.
The arrested suspects have been identified as Samuel Eshiet Akwa, Willie Peter Uboko, Muhammed Tukur, Salmannu Ibrahim, and Jaafar Adam. At the time of their arrest, they were found transporting 1,200 bags of ilmenite in a truck without proper authorization.
“All they had was a waybill indicating that the consignment belonged to a certain WillJane Global Ventures Ltd,” Oyewale said. Preliminary investigations revealed that the company is owned by one of the suspects, Willie Peter Uboko, who allegedly operated without a mining license for the past four years.
“He was alleged to have been operating without a mining licence for the past four years and transporting Ilmenite to unidentified destinations,” Oyewale added.
During interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed that they were en route to Onne in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to deliver the consignment when they were apprehended. The EFCC stated that the suspects are cooperating with investigators and providing useful information.
Oyewale confirmed that the suspects will be charged in court once investigations are concluded. The arrest underscores the EFCC’s intensified efforts to curb illegal mining activities, which deprive the government of revenue and often violate environmental regulations.
