EFCC arrests 13 Chinese for illegal mining

13 Chinese nationals have been detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly indulging in illegal mining activities in Ilorin, Kwara State.

This information was released by the anti-graft organisation in a statement on Thursday by Wilson Uwujaren, its head of media and publicity.

The 12 male and one female suspects were detained on July 12 at the Government Reserved Area in Ilorin, according to Uwujaren.

He said their arrest followed “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.”

“The suspects are Guo Wang (36), Lizli Hui (42), Guo Rong (36), Lizh Xianian (37), Lishow Wu (26), Guo Pan (38), Lia Meiyu (53), Guo Quan (36) Lin Pan (50)

“Others are Ma Jan (38), Wendy Suqin (31), Li Zhinguo Wei (29) and Xie Zhinguo (53),” the EFCC spokesman said.

He explained that “prior to their arrest, discrete investigations on the activities of illegal mining operators in Kwara State revealed that the operators have different illegal mining sites in almost all the 16 local government areas of the state.” 

Uwujaren said, “Upon interrogation, the arrested suspects confessed to being workers of a Chinese company known as W. Mining Global Service Limited situated at Olayinka in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara 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 said company, were without work permits, but only came with ‘visit permit’ from China to Abuja and travelled by road to Ilorin.”

According to the EFCC spokesman, the suspects' actions violated Section 1(8)(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17, 1983, and made them subject to punishment.

He stated that the suspects' arraignments will take place after the start of the ongoing investigations.

Source