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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

Quarry firm petitions Tinubu, ministers over alleged unlawful NSCDC shutdown

From ThisDay · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • Stone Rockers Limited, a quarry company, has petitioned Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and two ministers over the alleged unlawful shutdown of its premises by the NSCDC.
  • The company claims its business has been sealed by the NSCDC for 13 months without a court order.
  • The firm alleges the shutdown is arbitrary and illegal, causing hardship to its over 70 workers and their dependents.

Stone Rockers Limited, a quarry company based in Abuja, has escalated its grievance to the highest levels of government, petitioning President Bola Tinubu, Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake, and Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. The company seeks an investigation into the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), which it accuses of unlawfully shutting down its business premises for the past 13 months.

The company asserts that the NSCDC, led by an operative identified as John Onoja Attah, sealed its property without obtaining a lawful court order. This prolonged closure, according to Stone Rockers Ltd., constitutes an arbitrary and illegal act that violates the rule of law. The firm is fully registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and holds a Quarry Lease.

During a protest march at the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, company spokesperson Adeyeye Olugbenga highlighted the severe hardships faced by the company's over 70 employees and their families due to the shutdown. He described the situation as one of "hunger" and pleaded for presidential intervention.

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.

— Adeyeye OlugbengaDescribing the company's business operations during a protest.

Stone Rockers Limited vehemently denies allegations of land encroachment, calling them untenable and lacking evidence. The company suggests the NSCDC might be acting on behalf of a rival company with vested interests. They also pointed to a previous legal attempt where the Mining Marshall, using the Attorney General's name, filed a charge that was later abandoned when the court demanded proof of evidence. Furthermore, the company claims its own civil suit challenging the closure has been unjustly delayed by the NSCDC.

The petition emphasizes that the injustice against Stone Rockers Limited, its workers, and their dependents has become unbearable, representing a direct affront to legal principles due to the closure's lack of lawful authority.

We are Holders of Quarry Lease No. 37326 QLS (3 CU) si

— Adeyeye OlugbengaProviding specific details about the company's legal mining rights.
About this summary

Originally published by ThisDay in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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