The Federal Government of Nigeria has alleged that a mining firm, Jupiter Limited, planned a campaign of calumny against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his state visit to the United Kingdom.
The government said the alleged move was intended to undermine the ongoing efforts of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to sanitise the nation’s mining sector.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued by Segun Tomori, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development. According to Tomori, the ministry became aware of plans by the “embattled mining firm,” Jupiter Ltd, to orchestrate negative publicity against the Federal Government during the president’s 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,” he said.
Tomori explained that earlier in the week, the Special Adviser to the minister, Kehinde Bamigbetan, responded to what he described as false allegations sponsored by Jupiter Ltd in a publication titled ‘Nigeria Seizes British Lithium Project Under Armed Guard.’
According to him, the government’s response, titled ‘In Nigeria’s Mining Sector, The Law Is No Respecter of Persons,’ addressed the claims and accused individuals, including Steve Davis and Hamish MacDonald, of misleading activities within the mining sector.
He maintained that the allegations were baseless and unfounded, stressing that 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.
Tomori also noted that the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007 prohibits the granting of mining licences directly to foreign companies, reinforcing that all activities in the sector must comply with national law.
