Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — In a major crackdown on illegal mining activities, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, says it has arrested 18 suspects and seized 13 truckloads of stolen solid minerals.
The suspects, arrested last week according to the EFCC, were caught conveying illegally mined minerals without lawful authority along the Eiyenkorin-Ballah route in Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State.
EFCC on its official X handle said the arrest of the suspects and interception of the trucks were executed in collaboration with the patrol team of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, in Kwara Area Command.
The EFCC, said the arrest followed credible intelligence about the activities of some suspects conveying illegally mined solid minerals, assuring that the suspects will face court action once investigations are complete.
The anti-graft agency further disclosed that assorted solid minerals recovered from the 13 trucks include lithium, marble stone, white powder, and lepidolite.
The suspects are Saidu Madugu, Adamu Amadu, Lawal Ibrahim, Mohammed Mustapha, Abdulkarim Hassaini, Isiaka Abubakar, Shafiu Salisu, Abdullahi Yanda Isa, Bashiru Mohammed, Anas Saidu, Asa Bature, Abudu Sani, Jabir Salisu, Bello Muhammed, Habilu Idris, Fatai Abdullai, Isyiaka Hamidu and Oseni Lukman.
This latest bust comes just days after the EFCC arrested 11 suspects and seized eight trucks in a similar operation on June 5th 2024.
