The Nigerian Police, Army, and other security agencies have been petitioned to take immediate action against illegal mining activities at the Libata Mining Site in Kebbi State, as tensions escalate over a blatant defiance of judicial orders.
In a statement on Saturday, El-Tahdam Exploration Limited, the rightful concessionaire of the site, revealed that illegal miners had resumed operations under the cover of darkness, despite a binding court ruling prohibiting their activities. The company described this as a calculated act of economic sabotage and a direct assault on the rule of law.
The petition, sent to several top government and security agencies—including the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, the Mining Cadastre Office, the Nigerian Immigration Service, the Minister of Interior, the National Security Adviser, the Nigerian Army, and President Bola Tinubu—urged urgent intervention to restore order at the embattled mining site.
A landmark ruling delivered on February 27, 2025, by Justice E. Gakko in Suit No. FHCKB/CS/39/2024 affirmed El-Tahdam’s exclusive rights over the site. The court upheld the validity of Exploration Licence No. 45689 EL and Mining License No. 62680 ML, effectively nullifying rival claims by Three Crowns Mines Ltd and its Chinese partner, Canmax.
The judgment followed an earlier ex-parte interim injunction issued on December 5, 2024, which ordered the immediate cessation of all mining activities at Libata until a full hearing was conducted. However, in a brazen display of impunity, operatives linked to Three Crowns Mines Ltd and Canmax defied the injunction and resumed mining.
A damning revelation in the petition accused Canmax of announcing its 85% stake in the contested licenses (45158 EL and 46216 SSML) on February 7, 2025 and launching full-scale operations within three weeks, allegedly under the protection of heavily armed security personnel.
Reacting to these developments, El-Tahdam’s Managing Director, Adamu Tah, expressed deep frustration over what he described as a blatant mockery of Nigeria’s judicial system.
“It is deeply troubling that despite unequivocal court orders, the other firm and their partners continue to operate at Libata. Our company has always operated strictly within the ambit of the law, and we have never taken justice into our own hands,” he said.
Tah further emphasized that allowing illegal operators to act with impunity undermines the nation’s legal framework and threatens Nigeria’s mining sector.
“We are a law-abiding Nigerian company, committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that court judgments are respected. This blatant disregard for judicial authority not only undermines our legal system but also jeopardizes the orderly development of Nigeria’s mining sector,” he stated.
El-Tahdam has called on the Nigerian government to immediately investigate Three Crowns Mines Ltd and its foreign sponsors to ensure they vacate the Libata site without delay.
“This appeal underscores a fundamental legal imperative: strict adherence to court orders is essential to maintain public confidence in Nigeria’s judicial system. Disobedience of these orders not only compromises the outcome of this dispute but also sets a dangerous precedent that could erode the rule of law and destabilize our legal and economic frameworks,” the firm warned.
With tensions at an all-time high, industry watchers are keenly observing how the federal government, security agencies, and regulatory bodies will respond to this growing crisis. El-Tahdam, meanwhile, has reaffirmed its readiness to resume operations once justice is enforced, urging robust intervention to prevent further lawlessness at the Libata Mining Site.
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