UK Visit: FG Alleges Plot By Mining Firm To Embarrass Tinubu

The federal government has alleged that an embattled mining company, Jupiter Ltd, is planning a campaign to embarrass President Bola Tinubu during his upcoming state visit to the United Kingdom, following a dispute over revoked mineral licences.

The government said the alleged campaign was aimed at discrediting ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s mining sector and misleading the international community about the circumstances surrounding the revocation of certain mineral titles.

In a statement by the special assistant on media to the minister of solid minerals development, Segun Tomori, the ministry said it had uncovered plans by the company and its associates to circulate what it described as misleading claims about Nigeria’s mining industry during the visit.

“It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development that an embattled mining firm, Jupiter Ltd, plans to orchestrate a campaign of calumny against the federal government of Nigeria during the state visit of President Bola Tinubu to the United Kingdom,” Tomori said.

He explained that the development followed what the ministry described as false allegations contained in a publication titled: “Nigeria Seizes British Lithium Project Under Armed Guard.”

Tomori said the ministry had already responded to the publication through an article written earlier in the week by the special adviser to the minister of solid minerals development, Kehinde Bamigbetan.

“Earlier in the week, the Special Adviser to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kehinde Bamigbetan, authored a robust response to a tissue of falsehoods sponsored by Jupiter Ltd in a publication titled ‘Nigeria Seizes British Lithium Project Under Armed Guard,’” the statement said.

“Our response, titled: ‘In Nigeria’s Mining Sector, The Law Is No Respecter of Persons,’ exposed the antics of one Steve Davis and Hamish MacDonald, whose deceitful enterprise in the mining sector eventually met the full weight of the law.”

The ministry insisted that allegations suggesting Nigeria seized a British lithium project under armed guard were false, stressing that the government had no legal or contractual relationship with any company known as Jupiter Lithium.

“We made it unequivocally clear that the allegations are baseless and unfounded. The federal government, through the ministry and the Nigeria Mining Cadastral Office, has no legal or contractual relationship with any company known as Jupiter Lithium, as the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act expressly prohibits the granting of mining licences to foreign companies,” Tomori said.

According to the ministry, the dispute stemmed from the revocation of mineral titles belonging to Basin Mining Ltd, a Nigerian company linked to an Australian national, Steve Davis.

Tomori said the company lost its licences after failing to meet statutory financial obligations required under Nigeria’s mining regulations.

“The bone of contention is the strict application of regulations governing the mining sector, which necessitated the revocation of mineral titles belonging to a Nigerian company, Basin Mining Ltd, fronted by the said Mr Davis, an Australian national,” he said.

“The revocation was done after due notice was served on the company in line with extant laws on default in payment of annual service fees.”

The ministry disclosed that Basin Mining Ltd defaulted on statutory annual service fees amounting to ₦2.494billion for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years.

The unpaid obligations covered mineral titled 45454ML, 45117ML, 45118ML, 40532ML and 40533ML, which were subsequently revoked in line with existing regulations.

Tomori also dismissed claims that the licences were reassigned to a Chinese firm, describing the allegation as “a complete fabrication.”

“Jupiter, though unknown to the mining authorities, peddled falsehoods by claiming that its titles were revoked in favour of a Chinese firm.

“This is a complete fabrication! Instead of adhering to Nigerian mining laws, Davis would rather operate surreptitiously as a mining speculator who sets up companies to acquire mineral titles and shortchange the nation,” he said.

The ministry further alleged that Davis had interests in several mining companies operating in Nigeria, including Comet Minerals Ltd, Basin Mining Ltd, Range Mining Ltd, Northern Numero Ltd, Sunrise Minerals Ltd and Iron Ore Mining Ltd.

According to the government, such arrangements are often used by speculators to acquire mineral titles without engaging in actual mining operations.

“The same Davis is a director in six such companies: Comet Minerals Ltd, Basin Mining Ltd, Range Mining Ltd, Northern Numero Ltd, Sunrise Minerals Ltd, and Iron Ore Mining Ltd.

“Through these fronts, he held several licences but chose to cry blue murder when the law caught up with one of his companies for defaulting on statutory obligations,” Tomori stated.

He said the practice had contributed significantly to the problem of dormant licences and illegal mining activities in Nigeria.

“Instead of adhering to Nigerian mining laws, Davis would rather operate surreptitiously as a mining speculator who sets up companies to acquire mineral titles and shortchange the nation,” he added.

The ministry stressed that the federal government would not tolerate activities capable of undermining reforms in the mining sector.

“The nefarious activities of the past that stunted the growth of the mining sector will no longer be tolerated by the Tinubu administration.

“Ongoing reforms that have repositioned the sector and attracted growing global interest have come to stay.”

Tomori also urged Nigerians and international stakeholders to disregard what he described as attempts by “discredited individuals” to undermine the government’s reform agenda.

“We, therefore, urge Nigerians and the international community to be wary of the impending show of shame by a few discredited individuals who are bent on circumventing the federal government’s resolve to restore sanity and transparency to the mining sector,” he said.

He further emphasised that the government would not be intimidated into reversing reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and investor confidence.