Akwa Ibom Government is battle ready to fight illegal miners for exploiting and shipping some natural resources without government approval out of the state.
To battle the illegal miners, the State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, inaugurated a committee to combat illegal mining across the state with the Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, Rt. Hon. Nsikak Ekong, as its Chairman.
The Governor inaugurated the Committee, August 19, 2025, at the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Uyo, shortly before a meeting of the State Executive Council.
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The action may not be unconnected with the arrest of five suspected illegal miners the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Uyo Zonal Directorate, for allegedly extracting and transporting 1,200 bags of ilmenite, locally known as black sand, without the required licence.
The suspects – Samuel Akwa, Willie Uboko, Muhammed Tukur, Salmannu Ibrahim and Jaafar Adam – were arrested on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, while conveying the consignment in a truck.
The EFCC, in a statement on Friday posted on X formally Twitter, said, “At the time of their arrest, the suspects were conveying one thousand two hundred (1,200) bags of ilmenite in a truck without authorisation. All they had was a waybill indicating that the consignment belonged to a certain WillJane Global Ventures Limited.
“WillJane Global Ventures Limited is owned by one of the suspects, Willie Peter Uboko. He has been operating without a mining licence for the past four years and transporting ilmenite to unidentified destinations.”
Eno, who frowned at the rise of illegal mining activities in the State particularly across the coastlines, said there was need for the committee to check the ugly trend.
He noted that the composition of the committee was large, and all encompassing, to ensure effective delivery.
“The Ministry of Environment cannot do this alone. They need the collaboration of all of us, and we need to back it up with a law.
“If we do not checkmate this menace, there could be an influx of people that could be security threats to our State. That’s why we are taking it very serious. We want to know who are the miners in this State, what is their profile, what type of minerals are they mining and who do they pay tax to?
“Let me sound a note of warning. If we find anyone illegally involved in encouraging illegal mining in our State, we would severely deal with the person accordingly. Local Government Chairmen, take charge of your respective areas. You are the Chief Executive Officers of the local governments. So, please do not tolerate any illegality, bring it up early to our attention, and let us address it,” he said.
Governor Eno made reference to an ugly situation in Ibeno where land sold to a company was used as dump site for some hazardous waste, and directed the Commissioner for Lands to investigate and revoke all land procured by oil and gas servicing companies without government approval.
He urged the committee to hit the ground running and ensure that it presents a monthly report.
Members of the committee include the State Commissioners for Special Duties, Transport, Internal Security, Attorney General/Commissioner for Justice, Commissioner of Police, Honorary Special Adviser on Security, Chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), and Local Government Chairmen of the coastal areas.
