John Onoja, Assistant Commandant of Corps and Commander of the Mining Marshals said in a statement that the operators, Three Crown Mines, were linked to a company under investigation for significant mineral theft and regulatory breaches.
The statement said the firm, in collaboration with unnamed foreign nationals, illegally extracted lithium valued at ₦1.43 trillion (₦1,431,762,340,450) over a two-year period.
This, he said, exceeded the scope of its Small Scale Mining License (SSML) and Exploration License, encroaching on areas owned by another title holder. An action that contravenes Section 46(2) of the 2007 Minerals and Mining Act and Section 48 of the Nigerian Mining Regulations, 2011.
The closure followed an inspection involving security personnel, state mine officers, and company representatives.
The directors of Three Crown Mines allegedly failed to appear before investigators in Abuja on 21 July, citing “inconvenience” through a letter from their counsel, an excuse Onoja described as unacceptable.
He insisted that a new appearance date must be mutually agreed upon to ensure the probe continues.
“We will not negotiate the mineral fortune of Nigeria across any roundtable. Mineral theft is not a compoundable offence,” Mr Onoja stated, emphasising the NSCDC’s “zero tolerance” policy towards mineral theft.
This enforcement action comes weeks after the Ministry of Solid Minerals fined Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company ₦2 billion following a similar investigation led by the Marshals.
Mr Onoja affirmed that these recent operations align with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the directives of Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals.
NSCDC Commandant-General, Abubakar Audi, reinforced the importance of law enforcement in safeguarding national prosperity.
“The enforcement of laws that protect federal revenue is foundational to Nigeria’s prosperity. The sanitisation of the mining sector is not just necessary—it is non-negotiable,” he said.
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