The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Mining Marshals has urged a Federal High Court in Abuja to set aside the order restraining it from a mining site in Rafin Gabbas, Agwada Town, Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

In a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/901/2025, filed before Justice Emeka Nwite, the police accused the commander of the NSCDC Mining Marshals, Attah Onoja, of facilitating illegal mining through two companies — Capital Apex Synergy Global Services Ltd and Nizhong Mining Company Ltd.

An affidavit deposed to by a police officer, Gregory Woje, on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police, alleged that underage children trafficked from various northern states were being exploited for forced labour at the site, fed with hard drugs, and subjected to unsafe mining conditions that led to several deaths.

Justice Nwite, in a ruling dated May 20, 2025, granted a 30-day restraining order preventing Onoja and his team from further interference at the mining site, pending ongoing investigations.

The certified court order read, “An order of this honourable court is hereby made, restricting ACC Attah John Onoja, Commander Mining Marshals, and his team… from carrying out illegal mining or interfering with anything in the area using Capital Apex Synergy Global Services Limited and Nizhong Mining Company Limited for a period of 30 days.”

Appealing the order, the NSCDC’s mining marshals argued that the police misled the court with “scanty, weak, and concocted” evidence.

In a counter-affidavit, deposed to by Lukeman John, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent on Sunday, Onoja said the marshals were acting on a petition from Capital Apex Synergy Global Services Ltd in September 2024, which accused illegal miners of invading its legally acquired mineral title.

“Following our receipt of the petition… we visited the Mineral Title Area and took coordinates with experts to verify the claim of illegal mining,” Onoja stated.

Onoja said the marshals had only returned to the site on March 25, 2025, to secure it after intelligence suggested that suspects, under federal prosecution, had broken seals and resumed illegal mining.

He said the marshals withdrew the next day after receiving threats of an armed attack, only to return on April 3 and encounter a violent confrontation with police officers.

“Without any attempt at dialogue, the policemen, as if acting on prior instructions, opened fire on our men, disarmed and arrested them, and took their service rifles,” Onoja alleged.

But the police remain resolute in their accusations.

In a further affidavit deposed to by Bassey Ibitham, the police insisted that Onoja was aiding illegal mining rather than securing the site.

The police claimed the community had suffered over 100 deaths from unsafe mining practices and accused the NSCDC commander of registering Apex Synergy for personal gain.

https://punchng.com/mining-marshals-appeal-ruling-barring-access-to-nasarawa-site/