Operatives of the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have apprehended five Chinese nationals for their alleged involvement in illegal mining activities in Akwa Ibom State.
The arrests were made at Ndito-Eka-Iba village, Ibieno Local Government Area, following credible intelligence on the operations of foreign mining companies within Eket and Ibieno Local Government Areas.
The EFCC’s “Special Task Force on Illegal Mining” acted swiftly, leading to the capture of the suspects. According to the Commission, the first of the accused, Zhon Qinping, was arrested on September 10, 2024, while four others—Li Yi, Xie Bin, Chen Mou Zhou, and Chen Zeng—were taken into custody earlier on August 29, 2024. All were arrested at an illegal mining site in Ibieno, where they were reportedly extracting ilmenite, a valuable titanium-iron oxide mineral.
The EFCC has confirmed that the suspects are being held in connection with their illegal mining activities, and further investigations are ongoing. “The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” a spokesperson from the Uyo Zonal Directorate stated.
