Ruitai Mining Company, a Chinese mining operation based in the Esuk Ikim Akeme community, Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, was reportedly shut down by the state government due to unlawful mining of Titanium Ore.
On Tuesday, Uno Etim Uno, the Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, hosted members of the reporters chapel in his office in Uyo, where he made the announcement.
He said that during an assessment of the Ruitai Mining site he and Brigadier General Koko Essien (rtd), Commissioner of the Ministry of Internal Security, found evidence of unlawful mining.
He said the black clay-like mineral was found in 50-kilogram sacks, but the company’s managing director and director, Zeng Zhonghuan and Huang Ying, weren’t there and the on-site staff didn’t have any paperwork to prove they had permission to operate.
He said that the government had asked the police and the ARMY to take control of the site when the discovery was made, and that Ruitai had been given until this Friday to submit paperwork authorising the firm to mine the mineral.
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