EFCC Arrest 10 Suspected Illegal Miners In Oyo State

A total of ten individuals suspected of engaging in illegal mining activities have been apprehended by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Naija News reports that the anti-graft agency seized six vehicles brimming with minerals extracted from unauthorized sources located in the Ogbomoso region of Oyo State.

The apprehended individuals, captured by operatives from the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the anti-graft agency have been identified as Yunusa Adisa, Ganiyu Kazeem, Muideen Babayemi, Sulaiman Usman, Adeleke Waliu, Tiamiyu Rokeeb, Olusola Sunday, Oyedokun Oluwagbemiga, Sulaimon Ishiaq, and Olufimihan Eniola.

In a statement issued on Monday by Dele Oyewale, the spokesperson for the anti-corruption agency, it was revealed that the six vehicles seized contained an extensive load of lithium.

The statement further detailed that the arrest of these individuals was a direct response to credible information regarding their alleged participation in the illicit extraction of solid mineral resources, particularly lithium, with the intention of smuggling these materials to undisclosed locations.

Upon the completion of the investigation process, the suspects will face legal proceedings, as confirmed by the EFCC.

EFCC Arraigns Akwa Ibom Forex Broker For Alleged ₦2 Billion Scam

Recently, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Rufus John Isip, a self-proclaimed forex broker, for an alleged investment scam totalling over ₦2 billion.

Isip appeared before Justice C. S. Onah at the Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

According to a statement by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale on Saturday, Isip, along with his company ITM-IT Resources Limited, faces an eight-count charge, including fraudulent conversion, money laundering, and obtaining by false pretence.

The statement outlined the charges: “Count one of the charges reads: ‘That you, Rufus John Isip, while being the Director of ITM-IT Resources Limited, sometime in December 2020 and May 2021 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with intent to defraud, obtained ₦431,331,172.00 from Michael Okon, Director of N-Rex Resources Limited, under the false pretence of investing in Vandera, an online investment platform. You knew this pretence to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.’

“Count eight of the charge reads: ‘That you, Rufus John Isip, while being the Director of ITM-IT Resources Limited, sometime between December 2020 and May 2021 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, converted ₦730,870,000.00 to cryptocurrency (Bitcoin) and transferred it into your Binance Wallet, knowing that the money was part of your unlawful act. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2011, punishable under Section 15 (3) (4) of the same Act.’”

Isip pleaded not guilty to all charges. EFCC counsel Khamis Mahmud requested the court to remand him in EFCC custody for further investigation on related cases.

Defence counsel Samson Ewuje did not object.