NSCDC shuts down illegal lithium mine in Kebbi over alleged ₦1.43trn theft

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has sealed an illegal lithium mining operation in Libata, Ngaski Local Government Area of Kebbi State, accusing operators of defrauding the federal government of over ₦1.43 trillion.

The Mining Marshals, an enforcement unit of the NSCDC, linked the operation to Three Crown Mines Ltd, now under investigation for large-scale mineral theft and regulatory breaches.

Acting on a Federal High Court mandate, the site was shut after a coordinated inspection involving mine officers, security agents, and company representatives.

According to investigators, the company allegedly partnered with foreign nationals to illegally extract lithium worth ₦1,431,762,340,450 over a two-year period—far exceeding the limits of its Small Scale Mining Licence (SSML) and encroaching upon cadastre units owned by another titleholder.

“This act violates Section 46(2) of the 2007 Minerals and Mining Act and Section 48 of the Nigerian Mining Regulations, 2011,” said John Onoja, Assistant Commandant of Corps and Commander of the Mining Marshals.

“We will not negotiate the mineral fortune of Nigeria across any roundtable. Mineral theft is not a compoundable offence,” he declared.

The company’s directors failed to honour a summons to appear before investigators on 21 July, citing “inconvenience” via a letter from their lawyer, Y.C. Maikyau, SAN.

The Marshals deemed the excuse unacceptable and demanded a new appearance date.

The site’s closure comes weeks after the Ministry of Solid Minerals fined Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company ₦2 billion in a separate mineral theft case.

NSCDC Commandant-General, Dr Abubakar Ahmed Audi, reaffirmed the government’s stance: “The enforcement of laws that protect federal revenue is foundational to Nigeria’s prosperity. The sanitisation of the mining sector is not just necessary—it is non-negotiable.”

As lithium gains global relevance in energy transition technologies, officials warn that unchecked exploitation poses a threat to Nigeria’s revenue base and national sovereignty.