The Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, SKECC Nigeria Ltd, and others to maintain the status quo concerning the disputed ownership of a mineral exploration site in Kishi, Oyo State. The order was issued by Justice Emeka Nwite on Thursday, September 12, 2024, in a case brought by AU Fields Limited and First Monument Exploration Ltd against several defendants, including SKECC Nigeria Ltd and the Ministry of Solid Minerals.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1106/2024, seeks to determine the rightful owners of exploration licenses over the contested land. The plaintiffs allege that SKECC, a company registered for property development, has engaged in unauthorized mining and exploration activities on their licensed land.
In the motion, the plaintiffs’ counsel, Kazeem Gbadamosi SAN, argued that his clients hold valid exploration licenses and have been operating with the landowners’ consent. He further claimed that on July 13, 2024, SKECC began moving heavy machinery onto the site to conduct unauthorized exploration.
Gbadamosi also accused the Ministry of Solid Minerals of illegally awarding SKECC an exploration license, asserting, “The license purportedly awarded to SKECC by the 6th and 7th defendants is a sham and completely illegal.”
At the resumed hearing, counsel for the Ministry, Abdulamid Ibrahim, argued that there was no immediate urgency, as the core issue revolves around the legitimacy of any mining license in the disputed area. Justice Nwite, after hearing both sides, instructed all parties to avoid any actions that could undermine the court’s decision and ordered the status quo to be maintained until the next hearing on October 4, 2024.
