Worried by the nonchalant attitude towards environmental protection and illegal mining, the people of Ekid in Eket local government of Akwa Ibom State, has ordered a Mining Company, Ruitail mining Ltd to immediately vacate their lands.
The people under the platform of Ekid People Union (EPU) accused the company of illegal mining of Limonite on their lands at stubbs creek forest Reserve also known as Akoiyak Ekid.
Mr Samuel Udonsak who is the President general of the union, stated in a press conference in Eket, that it has been established that the company in connivance with some criminal state government officials, has been mining the mineral resources at night.
He further revealed that it is against the extant laws of Nigeria for the company to neglect the host community to mine the resources in their land without recourse to the people of the community.
“For some time now, we have noted that a Chinese company RUITAI MINING LIMITED has been illegally mining ILMENITE on our land; located within the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve (Akoiyak Ekid), property of the Ekid people without the necessary authorization or consent of the community in breach of our extant laws.
“This illegal mining, usually carried out in the night and its product transported out of the state in trucks clandestinely is alleged to be actively encouraged by certain elements in government.
“As of today, neither the Chinese Company nor their agents in government, has informed the community of this ongoing illegal activity. This action is in complete breach of extant laws”, Udonsak said.
The Ekid people asked the firm to pay for damages its illegal mining activities have wreaked on their environment, failure to do this, they will take legal action.
Udonsak said: “Having painstakingly considered the foregoing and other concomitant issues, we strictly demand that, RUITAI MINING LIMITED, the Chinese company illegally engaged in mining on our land should discontinue their trespass forthwith, abate the nuisance and pay for damages occasioned by their trespass.
“Akwa Ibom State Government should investigate the illegal activities of RUITAI MINING LIMITED and its collaborators in government and call them to order and find ways of ameliorating the already despicable situation.
“All parties involved in this clandestine land grab incident should be rightly informed of our incontestable title to the said land and should be so guided.”
SOURCE: Nation
IMAGE: Inspiration FM
