Metro

EFCC Parades 41 Illegal Miners In Ilorin; Impounds 12 Trucks Loaded With Stolen Mineral Resources

Published

3 months ago

February 6, 2024

Photo: file copy

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ilorin zonal command on Tuesday paraded 41 illegal miners. arrested within and outside Kwara state.

The Zonal commander, Michael Nzekwe while briefing journalists on the development said that the EFCC made the arrest following credible intelligence over the activities of the illegal miners transporting truckloads of assorted minerals outside the state without due license.

According to him: “preliminary investigations showed that the minerals suspected to be marble stone, white powder, lithium and lepidolite among others, are being transported outside the country for production of goods at the expense of the Nigerian economy.”

He stated that unnamed foreign nationals were behind the illegal exercise and have been getting across to the commission.

Aside the culprits, Nzekwe added that 12 fully loaded articulated vehicles conveying various natural minerals were impounded at different locations in Share, Banni, Lade, Patigi and Okolowo in Kwara, and Igbeti and Ogbomosho in Oyo state.

Nzekwe said his command was invigorated with “renewed efforts to fish out local and foreign collaborators depriving the country of huge sum of revenue and causing serious environmental hazards to the people through illegal mining activities.”

He harped that illegal mining is punishable with life imprisonment under Section 1(8) (b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17, 1983, recalling that the commission had warned that it would be unrelenting in the fight against corruption.

Nzekwe also noted that,”Aside the law that frowns on illegal mining activities, the act is an economic sabotage capable of causing environmental devastation, socio-economic hardship, insecurity, banditry and a host of other vices.”

He said that the suspects now under investigation would be duly prosecuted according to the rule of law.

He gave details of the registration number of the twelve trucks impounded by the anti-graft agency as: FG 179 6B, KWM 398 XA, TRE 419 YJ, ABC 795 XD, KWS 351 XC, ZUR 370 XJ, YL 667 XA, T3815 LA, AAA998XA, SHD 625XA and KWM 416 XA.

Nzekwe who warned that the EFCC would get the illegal miners sooner or later however advised those interested in the mining business to duly register with state,and federal government in order to be able to pay the appropriate governments their due royalties .

Metro

Man Kidnaps 6-year-old Cousin, Kills Victim For Recognising Him

Published

11 hours ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested a suspected kidnapper, Abdulazeez Idris, for allegedly abducting and killing his 6-year-old cousin in Makarfi Local Government Area of the state.

The deceased identified as Aisha Saidu, was on her way to Islamiyya school when she was abducted.

Spokesperson of the command, ASP Mansur Hassan, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, May 12, 2024, said the suspect used a razor blade to slash the girl to death because she recognized him.

Despite this, he went ahead to place a ransom demand of N8 million through an unknown caller who identified himself as the perpetrator.

According to the PPRO, the incident occurred on February 12, 2024.

“On February 12, 2024, at about 1: 00 hrs, Mr Saidu Dahiru, father of the victim a resident of Angwan Juma’a, Zaria, reported to the Zaria City police station that his daughter, Aisha Saidu, a six-year-old female, went missing on her way to Islamiyya school,” the statement read.

“The case was transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of SCID Kaduna, where they traced and arrested the perpetrator, identified as Abdulazeez Idris, in Makarfi Local Government.

“The suspect confessed to the heinous crime, admitting to slaying the innocent child by brutally slashing her neck with a razor blade because she recognized him and then disposing of her lifeless body in a well, ” the statement reads in part.

The PPRO further explained that the Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Dabigi, had assured the public that the case will be diligently investigated to ensure justice is served for the minor and her grieving family.

He stated that the suspect will be charged to court as soon as the investigation is completed.

Metro

Truck Crushes Five-year-old Girl In Lagos

Published

13 hours ago

May 12, 2024

Editor

The Police Command in Lagos State says a five-year-old girl, simply identified as Bosede, was crushed to death by a truck while crossing the Iganmu-Apapa Expressway with her mother.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident to the newsmen on Sunday.

Hundeyin said the information about the accident was received by the Iponri Police Division on Saturday at about 11.30 a.m.

He said the accident happened at Iganmu under the bridge, inward Apapa, involving a truck driven by yet to be identified driver.

The spokesperson said the girl and her mother were crossing the expressway when the truck hit and crushed her head, killing her on the spot.

Hundeyin said the police traffic officers from the division visited the scene and removed the corpse for burial by the family.

He said an investigation is ongoing for the possible arrest of the fleeing driver.

Metro

Customs Intercept N8.7m Smuggled Petrol En Route Benin Republic

Published

1 day ago

May 12, 2024

Editor

Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, Western Marine Command, have intercepted 12,500 litres of Premium Motor Spirit known is petrol worth N8,750,000 along the Isalu Creek Badagry Waterway en route to Benin Republic.

According to a statement and pictures shared on X.com by the NCS on Sunday, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, revealed this at the command’s headquarters on Friday.

The statement partly read, “At about 2330hrs on Wednesday, 8 May 2024, while on joint patrol based on credible intelligence, we received the movement of two boats laden with what was suspected to be petroleum products concealed in sacks. Upon receipt of the information, the team moved into Isalu Creeks Badagry Waterway.

“The Customs Area Controller stated that careful examination of the seizure at the Command Headquarters revealed ‘177 sacks and 61 kegs of 25 Litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) containing 12,500 Liters with a total Duty Paid Value standing at N8,750,000.”

Bamisaiye was reported to have warned smugglers to desist from their acts or risk arrest, stating that the action of the smugglers contravenes Sections 245 and 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.

He was quoted as saying, “There’s a strong warning to the economic importance of this kind of seizure at a time of fuel scarcity cannot be over-emphasised.

“People are suffering due to artificial scarcity, but they are busy smuggling these products outside the country to make money. It’s either they stop this act, or we continue to arrest them. We have zero tolerance for this act.”

Similarly, the Adamawa/Taraba Area Command of the NCS said it also intercepted 12,435 litres of PMS worth N10.8 million being illegally exported to Cameroon.