By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Makurdi Zonal Directorate has set up Extractive Industry Fraud Section, EIFS, to combat illegal mining in states under the Directorate.

The Makurdi Zonal Commander of the Commission, Dr Anselem Ozioko who made this known in Makurdi decried the number of illegal mining sites in Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau and Taraba states which are under his Directorate.

He assured that the Commission would ensure that those who lack the requisite approval to mine in the states under his jurisdiction were made to face the law.

According to him “Illegal mining is one common thing in Benue and because of the size of this directorate, we now have a section that deals with it. The directorate has set up an Extractive Industry Fraud Section, EIFS, and under one month, the command has already secured 10 convictions in the section.

“Under the section those we found with solid mineral including iron ore who didn’t have the requisite license, were all convicted including the manager who came to shortee the bail of his drivers.”

He advised the people to always report the activities of the illegal miners and fraud to the Commission saying “once there is any atom of dishonesty in financial business, come to EFCC.”

He however lamented the challenges faced by the Commission in dealing with activities of illegal miners located in the rural communities noting that “they are in the hinterlands and they are very dangerous people and it is not easy to access them. Sometimes we cannot penetrate those areas because of security implications.

“But we are thinking outside the box to ensure that we get them. If we cannot get them we know where to wait for them.”