The Federal Government has alleged that a mining company, Jupiter Limited, is planning what it described as a smear campaign against President Bola Tinubu during his state visit to the United Kingdom.
The allegation was made by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development in a statement issued in Abuja.
The statement was issued by Segun Tomori, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development.
According to him, the ministry became aware of what it described as plans by the company to circulate negative publicity about the Federal Government during the president’s visit.
Tomori said the alleged campaign was linked to disputes arising from actions taken by authorities in Nigeria’s mining sector.
According to the ministry, the alleged campaign is intended to discredit the Federal Government’s efforts to reform and regulate activities in the mining industry.
Tomori stated that earlier in the week, Kehinde Bamigbetan, Special Adviser to the minister, responded to claims contained in a publication titled “Nigeria Seizes British Lithium Project Under Armed Guard.”
The government’s response, titled “In Nigeria’s Mining Sector, The Law Is No Respecter of Persons,” addressed what officials described as misleading claims connected to the publication.
The statement also referenced individuals identified as Steve Davis and Hamish MacDonald in relation to the allegations made about Nigeria’s mining sector.
Tomori said the ministry considers the claims to be unfounded. He added that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the Nigeria Mining Cadastral Office, has no legal or contractual relationship with a company identified as Jupiter Lithium.
The ministry further stated that the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007 does not permit the direct granting of mining licences to foreign companies.
Officials also noted that the dispute referenced by the company followed the revocation of mineral titles previously held by Basin Mining Limited, a Nigerian company reportedly linked to an Australian national.
