Operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday apprehended another two Chinese over offences bordering on illegal mining activities.
The names of the suspects were given as Xiao Yi, 50 and Duan Yahong, 52.
EFCC’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale in a statement on Tuesday morning said the two expatriates were arrested alongside two others suspected to be accomplices in the illegal business. They are Mumini Jamiu and Israel Nwachukwu.
He said the latest arrest brings to 48 the number of people arrested for suspected illegal mining activities within the last two weeks by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC.
“The suspects were trailed to their mining sites located at Isolo in Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Area of Lagos State, where they were arrested on Sunday, February, 18, 2024 after days of surveillance by the EFCC operatives.
“Jamiu, a driver, was arrested while conveying a truck loaded with solid minerals from Banni in the Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State to a Chinese company in Lagos without lawful permit,” Oyewale said.
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Oyewale said items recovered from the suspects included a truck with registration number JJJ 386 XT containing substances suspected to be solid minerals, phones, and travel documents, adding that the suspects would be arraigned in court soon.
In another report, the EFCC has established a task force to tackle illegal forex trading and naira abuse.
The commission is combating illegal forex trading against the backdrop of the continued depreciation of the naira against the US dollar.
According to data from the financial market infrastructure group warehousing, also known as FMDQ, the naira depreciated to N1,537.96 per US dollar on Friday from N1,498.25 on Thursday.
Recall that the EFCC had arrested several suspects in the past in connection with illegal forex trading and abuse of the naira notes in public functions.