Five individuals on suspicion of engaging in illegal mining activities

The EFCC, Uyo Zonal Directorate, has apprehended five individuals on suspicion of engaging in illegal mining activities, particularly the extraction and transportation of ilmenite, also known as 'black sand'.

The suspects, Samuel Eshiet Akwa, Willie Peter Uboko, Muhammed Tukur, Salmannu Ibrahim, and Jaafar Adam, were found with a truckload of 1,200 bags of ilmenite and a waybill under the name of WillJane Global Ventures Limited. The company, purportedly owned by Willie Peter Uboko, is accused of operating without the necessary mining license for the past four years and illegally transporting the mineral to unknown locations. The arrests were made after surveillance efforts in the coastal areas of Mkpanak, Ibeno Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State. The suspects are currently being interrogated and will face legal charges once the investigation is completed.