Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Uyo Zonal Directorate, have apprehended five suspected illegal miners linked to the extraction and transportation of ilmenite.
The anti-graft agency, in a statement shared on its official X account on Friday, identified the suspects as Samuel Akwa, Willie Uboko, Muhammed Tukur, Salmannu Ibrahim, and Jaafar Adam.
He was alleged to have operated without a valid mining licence for the past four years, transporting ilmenite to undisclosed destinations.
During interrogation, the suspect reportedly admitted that they were en route to Onne, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to deliver the consignment when they were apprehended.
The arrest followed weeks of surveillance by EFCC operatives along the coastal axis of Mkpanak, in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
According to the EFCC, the suspects have been making useful statements and will face charges in court after the ongoing investigation is finalised.
