Five alleged illegal miners engaged in the extraction and transportation of ilmenite have been taken into custody by Uyo Zonal Directorate operations of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Samuel Akwa, Willie Uboko, Muhammad Tukur, Salmannu Ibrahim, and Jaafar Adam are among the suspects who have been apprehended, the EFCC said in a statement published on its official X account on Friday.
The statement read, “At the time of their arrest, the suspects were said to be conveying 1,200 bags of Ilmenite in a truck without authorisation. All they had was a waybill indicating that the consignment belonged to a certain WillJane Global Ventures Limited.
“Preliminary investigations into the matter showed that the said company, WillJane Global Ventures Limited, 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.
The suspect claimed during interrogation that they were their route to Onne in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to deliver something when they were taken into custody.
According to reports, weeks of surveillance along Mkpanak’s coastline in Akwa Ibom State’s Ibeno Local Government Area preceded the arrest.
“The suspects are making useful statements and will be charged in court as soon as investigations are concluded,” the statement added.
