The Mining Marshals have said the Stone Rockers Nigeria Limited quarry site in Abuja will remain sealed pending the determination of the alleged illegal mining case involving the company and one of its directors before the Federal High Court.
The agency said the facility could not be reopened because it remained the locus criminis, or scene of the alleged crime, in the ongoing criminal proceedings.
The position comes amid a petition by Stone Rockers Nigeria Limited to President Bola Tinubu and other government officials over the 13-month closure of its operations, which the company reportedly described as unlawful and not backed by any court order.
However, the Commander of the Mining Marshals maintained that the decision to seal the quarry was not an administrative sanction but an action connected directly to the criminal investigation and prosecution.
According to him, Stone Rockers Nigeria Limited and one of its directors, Mr Kolawole Olaiya, are standing trial in Charge No. FHC/ABM/VR/338/2026 over allegations of illegal mining activities within a mineral title area belonging to Lord’s Career Ventures Nigeria Limited.
“The quarry site remains a crime scene in an ongoing criminal matter before the Federal High Court and cannot be reopened pending the determination of the case,” the Commander said.
He explained that the prosecution followed investigations initiated after a series of petitions submitted by Lord’s Career Ventures Nigeria Limited over a period of more than one year.
According to the Mining Marshals, the petitions were subsequently referred by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development and the Minister of Interior to the agency through the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for investigation and possible prosecution.
The Commander said the defendants were arrested at coordinates identified as longitude 7°17’24″E and latitude 8°52’11″N, which investigators allegedly established to be within Mining Lease No. 000395 ML belonging to Lord’s Career Ventures Nigeria Limited.
He added that a letter dated January 23, 2026, from the Mining Cadastre Office reportedly confirmed that the disputed coordinates fall within the complainant’s licensed mining area.
The agency also said documentary evidence gathered during the investigation would be presented before the court, including correspondence allegedly written by a member of the defence team, Mohammed Olanrewaju Jibril.
According to the Commander, the letter, dated August 12, 2025, and allegedly written on the instructions of the defendants, contains information relevant to the allegations before the court.
He said the prosecution’s case extended beyond the disputed coordinates, adding that investigators had assembled substantial documentary evidence.
The Commander faulted attempts by the defendants to seek administrative intervention while criminal and civil proceedings relating to the dispute were pending before the courts.
“The issues raised by the defendants are already the subject of judicial proceedings,” he said, warning against actions that could undermine or prejudice the cases.
He further alleged that the defendants were exploring “every extrajudicial means” to frustrate the criminal proceedings and influence public opinion.
The Mining Marshals also rejected allegations that enforcement actions against the company were influenced by financial inducement, insisting that the operation was based solely on evidence obtained during investigations.
According to the agency, Lord’s Career Ventures Nigeria Limited had complained about financial losses resulting from its inability to commence operations due to the alleged encroachment but did not provide financial support or logistics for the operation that resulted in the arrests.
The Commander insisted that the financial status or influence of either party played no role in the enforcement action.
“No matter the level of blackmail and harassment deployed by illegal mining and erring industry players, the Mining Marshals will not be deterred from ensuring that the full weight of the law is pressed very tightly against everyone who breaks the laws in the Nigerian mining sector,” he said.
He also appealed to media organisations to strengthen editorial gatekeeping and verification processes, noting that the media remained a critical stakeholder in the Federal Government’s efforts to reform the solid minerals sector.
The Commander reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to combating illegal mining and protecting legitimate mineral title holders, insisting that no amount of pressure or publicity would deter the Mining Marshals from pursuing alleged violations of Nigeria’s mining laws.
The dispute between Stone Rockers Nigeria Limited and Lord’s Career Ventures Nigeria Limited has generated competing claims and multiple legal proceedings, with Stone Rockers maintaining that the closure of its operations was unlawful while the Mining Marshals insist that the quarry must remain sealed pending the court’s verdict.
