EFCC Arrests Five Over Illegal Ilmenite Mining in Akwa Ibom
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Uyo Zonal Directorate, has arrested five men suspected of engaging in illegal mining and transportation of ilmenite, locally known as “black sand,” without the required licence.
The suspects — Samuel Eshiet Akwa, Willie Peter Uboko, Muhammed Tukur, Salmannu Ibrahim, and Jaafar Adam — were apprehended on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, while conveying 1,200 bags of ilmenite in a truck. They presented only a waybill indicating the consignment belonged to WillJane Global Ventures Limited, a company allegedly owned by Uboko.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Uboko has allegedly been operating without a mining licence for the past four years, transporting the mineral to unidentified destinations. The suspects claimed they were heading to Onne, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to make a delivery at the time of their arrest.
The operation followed weeks of surveillance along the coastal lines of Mkpanak in Ibeno Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State. According to the EFCC, the suspects are cooperating with investigators and will face prosecution once the investigation is concluded.
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