Operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested 18 suspects for offences bordering on illegal mining.
Thirteen truckloads of assorted solid minerals, suspected to be lithium, marble stone, white powder and lepidolite, were recovered from the suspects.
The suspects are Saidu Madugu, Adamu Amadu, Lawal Ibrahim, Mohammed Mustapha, Abdulkarim Hassaini, Isiaka Abubakar, Shafiu Salisu, Abdullahi Isa, Bashiru Mohammed, Anas Saidu, Asa Bature, Abudu Sani, Jabir Salisu, Bello Muhammed, Habilu Idris, Fatai Abdullai, Isyiaka Hamidu and Oseni Lukman.
According to a statement signed by the EFCC’s head of media and publicity, Dele Oyewale, the arrests followed credible intelligence on activities of some suspects conveying illegally mined solid minerals along Eiyenkorin – Ballah route in Asa local government of Kwara State.
The arrests and interception of the trucks were executed in collaboration with the patrol team of the Nigeria Customs Service, Kwara Area Command along Eiyenkorin and Ballah area in Asa local government area.
The Ilorin zonal directorate of the EFCC had on Wednesday, June 5 arrested 11 suspects and impounded eight trucks over similar offences.
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