An Abuja-based quarry company, Stone Rockers Ltd., has petitioned President Bola Tinubu and two ministers over the continued shutdown of its business premises by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The company petitioned the president, the minister of solid minerals development, Dele Alake, and the minister of interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, over the development.
It alleged that its business premises had been shut down for 13 months by the NSCDC without a lawful court order.
In a petition submitted through the ministry of solid minerals development on Friday, the company alleged that its premises at Plot FL-109, Cadastral Zone, Gaube Farmland Layout, Barmishi Village, Kuje, were sealed by NSCDC operatives.
Speaking during a protest march at the ministry, the company’s spokesperson, Adeyeye Olugbenga, said the company was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and had been prevented from operating for over one year.
Mr Olugbenga alleged that the shutdown was carried out by the NSCDC Mining Marshal without any justifiable reason.
He said more than 70 workers of the company and their dependants had been subjected to hardship, particularly hunger, following the closure.
He appealed to the president, Mr Alake and Mr Tunji-Ojo to order an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the closure.
Mr Olugbenga said the allegation of land encroachment against the company by the NSCDC Mining Marshal was untenable, as there was no evidence to support it.
According to him, the continued closure of the company has become unbearable for the company, its workers, and their dependants.
He described the action as an affront to the rule of law, alleging that the closure was carried out without lawful authority.
He said that the company had instituted a civil suit against the NSCDC, challenging the closure of its premises.
According to him, proceedings in the suit had been delayed and frustrated by the corps.
He noted that the company was an indigenous construction company involved in quarrying, sand dredging, and real estate.
He claimed that within one year of commencing operations, the company had employed more than 70 Nigerians directly and indirectly.
He added that the company had created an economic hub within its host community, undertaken community development projects, provided scholarships, and paid royalties as and when due.
“Our company also support the fight against illegal mining and quarrying, but will not support alleged abuse of law or office,” he said.
Mr Olugbenga then called on the authorities to intervene by ordering the reopening of the business and investigating the circumstances surrounding its closure.
He also called for the prosecution of anyone found culpable in the alleged unlawful closure.
The petition was acknowledged by the ministry.
However, efforts by journalists to obtain the ministry’s reaction to the allegations were unsuccessful.
A director, who pleaded anonymity, said the ministry’s spokesperson was unavailable.
Meanwhile, when contacted, the NSCDC Mining Marshal commander, John Onoja, told journalists that the corps had taken the firm to court over alleged illegal mining offences.
According to Mr Onoja, the firm had admitted visually, verbally, and in documents that it was engaged in illegal mining.
“They admitted in different correspondences including the one sent to the ministry of solid minerals which was sat on by a committee, that they were illegal miners.
“They went to court to sue the corps for fundamental rights so they should wait for results from the court.
“The Interior minister did a forwarding letter on the complaints petition and asked why we had not attended to the matter because the complainant wrote up to three times.
“We did the job professionally, responding to what the minister of Interior and solid minerals wrote to the NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Audi, which was minuted to me.”
The commander also revealed that the company initially requested a settlement, and he gave both the company and the complainant six weeks to resolve the matter.
“They said they wanted to pay the complainant money and take over the place, but the complainant came back to the corps that they could not settle because the money offered was not enough.
“If they are on their rights why were they making that move for settlement?” he asked.
Mr Onoja alleged that the company had stolen from Nigeria for over a year through its illegal mining operations.
“People should believe that Nigeria can work and people like this should not be tolerated in the first place.
“Criminals in Nigeria have connections and those wanting to do their jobs are explaining themselves up and down which is wrong,” Mr Onoja said.
He warned journalists to verify information before publication, alleging that fuelling petitions by illegal miners depicts an act of corruption.
(NAN)
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