Against the backdrop of a recent court judgement over ownership of a Mining Site in Libata, Kebbi State in favour of El-TahDam Exploration Limited, the company has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Mining Cadastre Office (MCO), and other relevant authorities to urgently intervene and get those operating there illegally to vacate the site for it to resume mining operations as the authentic licensee.
Speaking to newsmen in Abuja El-Tahdam’s Managing Director, Adamu Tah, disclosed that Three Crowns Ltd had been operating the site illegitimately as they are not the licensee, but in a bid to stop his company, which is the authentic owner by way of license, from reclaiming the site, went to court and lost the case.
“To my surprise”, he said, “Three Crowns Mines Ltd, remains defiant and refuse to obey the Judgements by vacating the mining site, instead, it continues to operate, despite a _stop-work-order_ issued from a court of competent jurisdiction earlier. They remain under the protection of fully armed personnel of the various Nigerian security agencies right there on site.
Advertisement
To order your copy, send a WhatsApp message to +1 317 665 2180
“Before it becomes a slap on the judicial system of Nigeria, we are calling on the the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, the Inspector General of Police, Nigeria Immigration, the Minister of Interior, the Nigerian Army, the National Security Adviser and to Mr. President to please intervene by interrogating 3 Crowns Mines Ltd and their Chinese sponsors and mining partners, Canmax, why they disregard court rulings on the above matter and proceeded with operations on the Libata Mining site.
Recall that on the 7th of Feb 2025, the Chinese company Canmax announced their involvement in Three Crown licenses 45158 EL and 46216 SSML, in which they own 85%. Not more than three weeks thereafter, their new venture went ahead and resumed illegal activities in Nigeria.
In a court judgement on the suit, tagged No. FHCKB/CS/39/2024, dated 27 February, 2025, whose copy was made available to our reporter, the presiding judge, Justice E. Gakko, who declined jurisdiction and resolved the issue in favour of El-Tahdam (Defendant 1) a Nigerian mining company, struck out the case brought to it by Three Crowns Mines Ltd for being premature.
Three Crowns, the applicant in the suit, had sought an injunction to invalidate El-Tahdam’s exploration and mining licences, No.s 45689 EL and 62680 ML respectively and that it was issued in violation of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.
In the suit, the MCO and the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development were the 2nd and 3rd defendants, respectively.
In his ruling, Justice Gakka said having taken into cognizance relevant provisions of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007 and the Regulations 15, 16 and 17 of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Regulations, 2011, as well as all other reasonings, “I hereby resolve this issue in favour of the 1st Defendant (EL-Tahdam). And having resolved so, I hereby decline jurisdiction with respect to this Suit as it is. This case is hereby struck out for being premature.”
The same court whose ruling on an ex parte motion filed earlier, dated 5th day of December, 2024 by EL- Tahdam praying the court for an interim injunction restraining Three Crowns Mines Ltd from further mining on the site had also ruled in agreement with the motion, urging the operators on the site to pause action pending the hearing and determination of the case before it, but to no avail.
Intriguingly, it seems Canmax is being sponsored and protected against the local Nigerian company, even with clear pronouncements from a court of competent jurisdiction.
The questions begging for answers are: Who are these political behind-the-scene big wigs who emboldened a foreign company to revolt against a court ruling? It remains to be seen if our law enforcement agents can muster the courage to disentangle themselves from the fangs of organized illegalities as currently unfolding in Libata, Kebbi State.
