Alleged Unlawful Shutdown: Investor Asks Tinubu, Alake, Tunji-Ojo to Investigate NSCDC
Alex Enumah in Abuja
An Abuja-based quarry company, Stone Rockers Limited, has asked President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake and Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to investigate the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), over the continued shutdown of its Abuja business premises.
The business premises was said to have been shutdown by the NSCDC exactly 13 months ago, allegedly without a lawful order of court.
Stone Rockers Ltd in a fresh petition submitted through the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, claimed that its business premises located at Plot FL-109 Cadastral Zone, Gaube Farmland Layout, Barmishi village, in Kuje, was sealed by operatives of the corps, led by one John Onoja Attah, without an order of court.
During a protest march at the premises of the Solid Minerals Ministry yesterday, spokesperson for the company, Adeyeye Olugbenga, stated that the firm which is fully registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), had been unlawfully prohibited from functioning for over one year by the Mining Marshall, without any justifiable reason.
Olugbenga, while speaking with journalists during the protest march, disclosed that workers of the company numbering over 70 along with their dependants had been subjected to series of hardships, especially hunger, following the alleged unlawful, arbitrary and illegal closure of the company.
He pleaded with President Tinubu, Minister of Solid Mineral, Alake and his Interior counterparts, Tunji-Ojo, to immediately order an in-depth investigation into the circumstances that led to the unlawful action of the civil defense.
The spokesperson also dismissed the allegation of land encroachment raised against the company by the Mining Marshall as being untenable since there was no evidence to that effect, adding that from all indications, the civil defense was acting the script of another company where he has vested interest.
A new petition submitted yesterday stated that the injustice against Stone Rockers limited, its workers and their dependents have become unbearable as it constitutes an affront to the rule of law, having carried out the closure of the company without lawful authority.
Olugbenga recalled that the Mining Marshall using the name of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) as complainant once filed a charge against the Managing Director of the company but abandoned the charge, when the court issued an order on him to produce proof of evidence.
He also disclosed that the company on its own, instituted a civil suit against the Civil Defense, challenging the unlawful closure of the company, but that proceedings were unjustly delayed and frustrated, by the civil defense corps.
“We are workers of an indigenous construction company registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) with head office in Abuja, we are into quarrying, sand dredging and real estate.
“We are Holders of Quarry Lease No. 37326 QLS (3 CU) situated at Plot FL-109 Cadastre Zone Gaube Farmland Layout, Barmishi Village, Kuje Area Council Abuja-FCT, by which we are empowered under Section 201 (1) (a) and (b) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2007 to carry out quarrying activities within the ambiance of our lease.
“Within one year of our legitimate quarrying operations, the company employed directly and indirectly over 70 Nigerians, created a business economy within our host community in Kuje, did Community Development Services (CDS) abd gave scholarships in addition to payment of royalties as at when due”.
“However, in July 2025, one Attah John Onoja, the Mining Mashal Commandant led over 20 fully armed NSCDC staffs and gun truck to our site and took samples of our granite and arrested everyone on site (at least 14 persons) and detained them at a private cell he built at the entrance of NSCDC where he named “Aleke House”.
“The company wrote several petitions to the Minister of Solid Minerals seeking clarification on why a legitimate business of an indigenous investor should be unlawfully shut down without any court order, without any statutory powers given to the marshals to do so, and till now (13 months after) no justification had been offered.
“Today we can no longer keep quiet and allow such injustice, affront to the rule of law, unruliness, and unlawful closure of a legitimate multi-billion-naira business to be swept under the carpet.
“We are in full support and commend the fight against the menace of illegal mining and quarrying but we will never support or keep quiet on the abuse of law, abuse of office, the unlawful practices of the marshals particularly when no one seem to be calling them to order”, a statement read in part during the protest march by placard carrying workers at the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.
“We call on the President Bola Tinubu, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and the Minister of Solid Minerals and Steel Development, Dr. Dele Aleke to immediately intervene towards the reopening of our legitimate business, order investigation into the unlawful closure and order the prosecution of everyone found wanting,” they added.
Although the receipt of the fresh petition was acknowledged, all efforts by journalists to get the reaction of the ministry to the petitions were unsuccessful as a Director who pleaded anonymity, said that the ministry’s spokesperson was not on seat and out of Abuja.
