FG Exposes Alleged Plot To Embarrass Tinubu During UK Visit

The Federal Government has alleged that a mining firm, Jupiter Ltd, is planning to launch a campaign aimed at embarrassing President Bola Tinubu during his planned state visit to the United Kingdom.

The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister, Segun Tomori, who said the move was linked to a dispute over revoked mineral licences.

According to the ministry, the company and its associates were allegedly preparing to circulate what it described as misleading information about Nigeria’s mining sector in a bid to tarnish the government’s reform efforts before the international community.

Tomori dismissed claims that Nigeria seized a British-owned lithium project under armed guard, insisting that the allegations were false and intended to discredit the country.

He said, “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.”

The ministry further clarified that the Federal Government had no legal or contractual relationship with any company known as Jupiter Lithium, noting that Nigeria’s mining laws prohibit foreign companies from directly holding mineral licences.

The government explained that the controversy actually stemmed from the revocation of mineral titles belonging to Basin Mining Ltd, a Nigerian company linked to an Australian national, Steve Davis, after it allegedly failed to meet statutory financial obligations.

Tomori stated that Basin Mining Ltd lost several mineral titles after failing to pay annual service fees amounting to about N2.49bn for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years, adding that the revocation followed due notice in line with existing mining regulations.

He also dismissed allegations that the licences were reassigned to a Chinese company, describing the claim as a fabrication designed to mislead the public and international stakeholders about Nigeria’s mining reforms.

The ministry alleged that Davis had interests in several mining firms operating in Nigeria, including Comet Minerals Ltd, Basin Mining Ltd, Range Mining Ltd, Northern Numero Ltd, Sunrise Minerals Ltd and Iron Ore Mining Ltd, adding that such arrangements were often used by speculators to acquire mineral titles without undertaking actual mining operations.

Tomori said the government remained committed to ending such practices as part of broader reforms aimed at sanitising the sector and boosting its contribution to the nation’s economy.

“Our commitment to transforming the mining sector into a major contributor to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product is unwavering,” he added.

The ministry urged Nigerians and members of the international community to disregard what it described as attempts by “discredited individuals” to undermine the government’s reform agenda.

It added that Nigeria would continue implementing policies designed to attract credible investors and strengthen transparency in the mining sector as part of efforts to diversify the economy beyond crude oil.