Group petitions Senate President, demand stoppage of illegal mining by a Chinese firm

Tony Okoh, Uyo

Ekid People’s Union (EPU), the umbrella body of Ekid Nation in Akwa Ibom State has sent a “Save Our Soul” petition to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, through the Senate President Chief Godswill Akpabio over illegal mining of ilmenite by a Chinese company, Ruitai Mining Company Limited in Atia village, aka New Barracks, Esit Eket LGA.

The petition, routed through the Senator representing Akwa Ibom South, Senator Ekong Sampson, called on the Senate to urgently intervene as the illegal mining by the company is causing catastrophic environmental effects on the people.

“The illegal mining activities being outside the preview of regulatory agencies and having no social and environmental assessment report, to regulate it and provide remedial measures for Atai residents and neighboring villages, exposes the land to ocean erosion, air pollution and other environmental hazards, for which we call for urgent intervention”, the petition explained.

“We can say on good authority that at the time the company commenced mining activities about two years ago, they did not obtain a mining license from appropriate authorities. No Social and Environmental Impact Assessment was
carried out before commencing of mining activities as required by law”,

The petition pointed out that the Chinese company has not consulted the landlords, the Ekid people of Eket and Esit Eket Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom, for payment of due compensation, as required by law.

“Moreover, Distinguished Senator, we have just been put on notice about the
petition submitted by faceless individuals at best described as imposters under the name and style of Osung Utiaruk family, purportedly in Atia village otherwise called New Barrack located in Esit Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State but which the said faceless impostors claim to be in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, and which said petition is calling for intervention over illegal mining thereat”,

“The said petition was laid before the Senate Plenary by Senator Ekong Sampson, representing Akwa Ibom South, and was referred to the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals”, it read.

“In furtherance of this barefaced fraud by the Ibeno people, we wish to react
as follows:

“That there is no family called Osung Utiaruk anywhere in Atia village also
known as New Barrack”,

“That Atia (New Barrack) is located in a larger area of land known as and
called the ‘Stubbs Creek forest (Also known as Okoiyak or Okoyak) which traditionally, by subsisting court judgments and extant laws of
Akwa Ibom State, the ancestral land and territory of the Ekid people and
is within Esit Eket Local Government of Akwa Ibom State”,

“We therefore raise serious objection against the territorial fraud by the
Ibeno people acting under the mask and pretense of a nonexistent family
called Osung Utiaruk. The location of the illegal mining belongs to a number
of clans in Esit Eket Local Government Area and not to any family in Ibeno
clan or Ibeno Local Government Area including the imaginary Osung Utiaruk
family”, the petition emphasized.

Ekid People’s Union, in the petition, drew the attention of the Distinguished Senate to Sections 43 and 44 of the constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), which prohibits illegal expropriation of a person or people’s land.

The Union respectfully urged the
Distinguished Senate to be informed and act accordingly.