Illegal Chinese Operations in Ikom Community Spark Heat as Community Demands Identity, Documents
By Missang AKPET
Indigenes of Effi community in Okuni Village, Ikom Local government of Cross River state have raised alarm over illegal operation by unknown Chinese nationals in their community.
Findings by THE BEAGLE NEWS revealed that the Chinese nationals, who are into wood processing, may not have proper documents and license to operate in the community.
According to a report by a seven man fact finding committee (FFC) set-up by the Clan Head of Effi, His Royal Highness, Okim John Osadim, to investigate the legality of the Chinese presence in the community and made available to our newsroom, the Chinese nationals with no company name have been carrying-out their operations anonymously and illegally within the community for months.
According to the report signed by the Chairman of the FFC, Engineer Ndoma Akpet Nyambi, and other members of the committee, the Chinese nationals have no registered company name nor identity neither did they show any document relating to their immigration clearance or avail the committee any agreement entered with Effi community giving them licence to operate in the community.
“The Chinese company has no identity and there is no sign post at the site for easy identification and direction. They did not show us any certified company name.
“When contacted, the Chinese officials present at the time of interview, could not show the committee any document showing immigration clearance or valid document allowing them entry into Nigeria.
“We observed that the Chinese presence in the community has no company name so it is a sole proprietor business as no staff could avail the committee with any useful information,” the report read in part.
In a chat with with community chiefs in Effi, it was revealed that the chiefs are aware that there are Chinese nationals operating in the community but claim not to know their name nor identity.
Although they agreed that there was an agreement signed between the community and the company, none of the chiefs agreed to disclose the signatories to the agreement.
However, Chief Emmanuel Enya Agbor, who spoke in an interview with the FFC, maintained that he does not know the Chinese nationals nor their identity but revealed that the Chinese had entered an agreement with the community to operate for 30 years paying N6,000,000 (six million Naira only) every 10 years after which the agreement can be reviewed.
Amid agitation from community members for the Chinese to reveal their true identity and documents or vacate the community, the committee however recommended that their copy of Co-operate Affairs Commission registration, immigration documents, clearance and concession for their loggers from the forestry commission must be produced.
