Nasarawa government arrests Lithium mining firm manager for illegal operations

The Nasarawa State Government on Sunday arrested the manager of Trimadix Geomin Consult Limited, a lithium mining firm, for operating without authorisation in the state.

The operation, led by Mr Yakubu Kwanta, Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, involved a joint team of security agencies, including the Police, Department of State Services, DSS, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.

Speaking to journalists in Amba Kure, Kokona Local Government Area, Kwanta disclosed that the firm had been shut down in June 2024 for failing to obtain community consent and state government approval. However, the company resumed operations clandestinely.

“We got information that they entered the site at night and started blasting. That is why we mobilised and stormed the place immediately.

“They are bragging that they have the backing of some prominent persons in the country and that the state government cannot stop them from operating.

“We will no longer tolerate any act of economic sabotage that could deny us the desired revenue and constitute a security threat,” Kwanta said.

Kwanta reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to curbing illegal mining and protecting the interests of local communities.

He cited Governor Abdullahi Sule’s recent directive to clamp down on unregulated mining activities and eliminate security threats associated with such operations.

“Natural resources are supposed to be a blessing to our people, so any company coming to mine in the state must obtain community consent and government approval to ensure that both the community and the state benefit.

“We will not allow our people to be shortchanged by anybody, no matter how highly placed,” the commissioner stated.

He warned against economic sabotage and called on mining firms to adhere to state regulations.