EFCC Apprehends Alleged Illicit Miners In Uyo, Captures Serial Real Rstate Swindler In Kaduna

Nigeria: Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested five suspected illegal miners in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and a notorious land racketeer in Kaduna in separate operations.

The Uyo Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, apprehended Samuel Eshiet Akwa, Willie Peter Uboko, Muhammed Tukur, Salmannu Ibrahim, and Jaafar Adam for allegedly extracting and transporting ilmenite — locally known as “black sand” without a mining licence.

The suspects were intercepted with 1,200 bags of the mineral in a truck, armed only with a waybill showing the consignment belonged to WillJane Global Ventures Limited, allegedly owned by Uboko.

Investigations revealed that the company has operated without a mining licence for four years, transporting ilmenite to unidentified destinations.

According to the EFCC Spokesman, Dele Oyewale, the group was reportedly en route to Onne, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, when arrested after weeks of surveillance along the coastal lines of Mkpanak, Ibeno LGA, Akwa Ibom State.

They were said to be cooperating with investigators and will face prosecution upon conclusion of the probe.

In a separate operation, the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the commission arrested one Alhassan Garba over multiple cases of land fraud.

Garba, who used to pose as an estate agent, is linked to several racketeering incidents involving forged documents and the sale of properties he did not own.

In one case, he allegedly sold land for N14.5 million with forged documents, while in another, he and accomplices fraudulently sold land in Tsaunin Kura G.R.A, Sabon Tasha, Kaduna for N8 million.

Additional reports link him to a N32 million fake land deal in 2018 and a N2 million scam involving a property in Mahuta, Igabi LGA, in 2022.

Garba, who once jumped administrative bail, was rearrested on August 12, 2025, in Kabala Costain, Maiduguri Road, Kaduna, after a manhunt.