Maginga District Head, Yauri Emirate, debunks El-Tahdam Exploration’s mining claims

The District Head of Maginga, Abdulmalik Nuhu Wara on Thursday, in a letter dated 24th April, 2025, addressed to the Managing Director of El-Tahdam Exploration Limited, called on the company to “stay off” the communities, warning El-Tahdam against breeding “chaos, unrest and insecurity.”

The letter, titled, “Notice of Demand to El-Tahdam Exploration Limited,” which was signed by the District Head and 63 other stakeholders of Maginga, said the host communities did not grant the company consent for Exploration Licence N0. 45689 EL and Mining Lease N0. 62680 ML or any other licence.

The correspondence stated: “We, the undersigned members of Libata, Kabirba, Kwanga communities of Warra District, of Ngaski Local Government Area, Kebbi State, and which members, among others, include the District Head of Maginga, Village Heads, religious leaders of Warra, Libata, Kabirba and Kwanga, together with individual families/land owners who own the lands (measuring 5.4 KM2) situate at Ngaski Local Government Area of Kebbi State, and which lands are covered by the mineral titles, being: Exploration Licence No. 45158 EL, and Small-scale Mining Lease No. 46216 SSML, have resolved as a matter of urgency to issue this notice of demand in the best interest of the general members of our communities.

“We, the signatories of this letter comprise of Districts/Village Heads, owners of the lands which are subject of the aforementioned mineral titles, stakeholders in various ramifications, and members of the Host community which is pivotal to the smooth operation of mining activities.

“We have been dismayed by the sad development that your company, EL-TAHDAM Exploration Limited, was purportedly granted an Exploration Licence No. 45689 EL and Mining Lease No. 62680 ML over areas of land in respect of which, the land owners had already given their consent to Three Crown Mines Limited and over which Three Crown Mines Limited had already been granted Exploration Licence No. 45158 EL since the 8th day of June, 2023.

“We wish to categorically note and humbly but firmly emphasise that we neither know your company nor welcome it to our community. Ultimately, we are not ready and willing to deal or relate with it as far as the land in respect of which the company was purportedly granted the Exploration Licence and Mining Lease, is concerned. You know very well that WE DID NOT AND NEVER GAVE THE SAID COMPANY, EL-TAHDAM EXPLORATION LIMITED, OUR CONSENT FOR THE SAID EXPLORATION LICENCE NO. 45689 EL and MINING LEASE NO. 62680 ML OR ANY OTHER LICENCE OR LEASE AT ALL!

“The consent which your company claims it obtained and on the basis of which the company was wrongfully granted an Exploration Licence and Mining Lease, was vehemently disclaimed by the persons you claimed gave the said consent. Thus, one Abdullahi Usman from whom EL-Tahdam claims to have obtained the consent, has stated and impressed on the Mining Cadastre Office that he does not own any portion of land in the area forming the subject of the mineral titles in question.

“Equally, one Murtala Musa of Warra town and the then secretary to the District Head of Maginga who also signed and/or endorsed the purported consent of Abdullahi Usman on behalf of His principal (the district head) without his principal’s prior authority, after he subsequently found out the truth, wrote and served a letter of disclaimer to the Mining Cadastre office intimating them that he did not give consent to your company as he does not own any lands forming the area covered by your EL and ML. Murtala Musa had explained in the letter that he was deceived into singing or endorsing the said consent. In fact, both Abdullahi Usman and Murtala Musa deposed and swore affidavits to the effect that they did not give consent to EL-Tahdam company as far as the mineral title areas are concerned.

“It is imperative to reiterate that the only company that was given consent over the land in question by the owners of the said lands is Three Crown Mines Limited and the consent was given out of an established trust and cordial relationship of the communities and Three Crown Mines limited. It is also crucial to emphasise that we have signed a Community Development Agreement with Three Crown Mines Limited as required by the Nigeria Minerals and Mining Act and Nigeria Minerals and Mining Regulations.

Join the Premium Times WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.

Open in WhatsApp

“You have peddled lies to the effect that we, the members of the Host community (ies) have executed a Community Development Agreement with your company, El-Tahdam Exploration Limited and that the company has since commenced the execution and implementation of the agreed terms as contained in the fictitious community development agreement. It is necessary to state here and as you are aware, that, as community leaders, we have never had any contact with you or your company, El-Tahdam Exploration Limited, let alone signing a community development agreement with you or/and your company, EL-Tahdam Exploration Limited.

“No single project is or has ever been under execution by El-Tahdam Exploration Limited in any of our communities and as we know very well that your company has no sites at all within our domain. How could we have executed a Community Development Agreement when we the members of the community have never had any discussions or deliberations in respect of the same with the said EL-Tahdam company!

“Moreso, it is critical to bring to your attention, (as you may be aware) that Three Crown Mines Limited has already and since compensated us over the area in respect of and over which your EL TAHDAM company was purportedly granted EL and ML. This is because the said Three Crown Mines Limited had since been granted Exploration Licence (EL) and Small-Scale Mining Lease (SSML) over the said area long before the (wrongful) grant of your company’s mineral titles over the same area) and long commenced exploration and exploitation activities.

“Pursuant to the said mineral titles, Three Crown Mines Limited has also been executing developmental projects in the community, thereby bringing about socio-economic development and progress of the host community, to the sufficient satisfaction of the members of the community.

“Furthermore, it may interest you to know that your attempts to, by all means, force your way onto our lands has unsettled the host community, causing avoidable pandemonium, unrest, and trauma. Your company’s unholy determination to trespass upon our lands and force your company on us, have equally interfered and interrupted the flow of social and economic benefits due to the community from Three Crown’s mining activities. All these and more, are indications that your company and the landowners cum the host community cannot co-exist peacefully.

“In view of the above and more, we cannot, therefore, in good conscience, co-operate and relate with El Tahdam company over areas of land in respect of which the land owners have already been compensated and legitimately taken (and still taking) benefits from another company (Three Crown Mines Limited) which had earlier been granted EL and SSML over the area, and which still subsist; and over which area the said Three Crown Mines Limited has applied for grant of Mining Leases.

“We wish to kindly note that the host community has been living in peace and co-existing with all other persons who live and carry out businesses in the Host Community. This rather unfortunate development of granting your company EL and ML over the said area of land which the community had already given to Three Crown Mines Limited, is a recipe for crisis in the community, as evident in the past activities of the company. With all sense of seriousness, we cannot and we will not allow a company which was foisted on the community by what seem to be a deliberate wrongful grant of an EL and ML over a land in respect of which consent was not given, to have access to the said land and continue to ferment trouble in our peaceful community.

“The lands in respect of which your company was wrongfully granted EL and ML, are farmlands and source of livelihoods to the land owners. The cornerstone of fair and sustainable development in the mining industry is the willing participation of all parties involved. It therefore, needs no mentioning that the Government cannot force unwilling land owners and host communities on a willing miner or company. Hence, we implore you not to trespass on the lands in question and any forceful attempt to enter upon the said lands by your company shall be met with an unrelenting legitimate resistance!

“Please accept the assurance of our highest esteem as we humbly hope that your company, EL-Tahdam Exploration Limited would appreciate and abide by our communities’ collective position,” the District Head concluded.