- Chinese company, W. Mining Global Service Limited, operated multiple illicit mining sites across all 16 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kwara state
- Illegally extracted crude is used to produce and sell marble within Nigeria
- Nigerian visit visas were used to enter Abuja enroute to Ilorin Kwara state
ILORIN – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ilorin Zone has reported the detention of 13 Chinese nationals on the grounds of allegedly conducting unauthorized mining operations in Kwara State.
The information was made public by the EFCC spokesperson, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement issued on Thursday. The arrested individuals, including one woman and twelve men, were apprehended on Wednesday in the Government Reserved Area of Ilorin.
The accused individuals include Guo Ya Wang, 36, Lizli Hui, 42, Guo Jian Rong, 36, Lizh Shen Xianian, 37, Lishow Wu, 26, Guo Pan, 38, Lia Meiyu, 53, Guo Kai Quan, 36, Lin Pan, 50, Ma Jan, 38, Wendy Wei Suqin, 31, Li Zhinguo Wei, 29, and Xie, 53.
Uwujaren revealed that the arrest was a result of valuable intelligence regarding their questionable activities including illegal mining and non-payment of royalties to the Federal Government, as required by law.
The spokesperson also noted that following thorough investigations into the illegal mining activities in Kwara, it was found that the culprits operated multiple illicit mining sites across all 16 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.
Admissions made by the suspects during questioning indicated they were employees of W. Mining Global Service Limited, a Chinese company based in Olayinka, Ifelodun LGA. They were reportedly using the illegally extracted crude to produce and sell marble within Nigeria.
Investigation findings further disclosed that some of the accused individuals were operating without a work permit, having entered Nigeria on a visiting permit from China to Abuja, before proceeding by road to Ilorin.
The EFCC’s Acting Executive Chairman, Abdulkarim Chukkol, has previously expressed concern over the growing problem of illegal mining operations, describing them as a serious risk to the local and national economy.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the EFCC’s Ilorin Zonal Command has taken into custody no less than 80 illegal operators in recent months, in addition to seizing 24 truckloads of various minerals.
In September 2022, the EFCC arrested Dang Deng, a Chinese national and Managing Director of Sinuo Xinyang Nigeria Ltd., for illegal possession of 25 tons of assorted crude minerals. Dang was later convicted by Justice Mohammed Sani of the Federal High Court in Ilorin on October 19.
SOURCE: News Diary, Online
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