Libata, Kabirba, and Kwanga communities of Warra District, of Ngaski Local Government Area, Kebbi State, have urged EL-TAHDAM Exploration Limited to vacate its ancestral land measuring 5.4 KM2.

The community called on security agencies, including the Minister for Solid Minerals Development, to help them chase the firm from their ancestral land to pave the way for the rightful owners, Three Crown Mines Limited, to put the land into use.

The community, in a letter to the Managing Director of the firm, signed by Village heads, religious leaders, and individual families/land owners, noted that it has resolved as a matter of urgency to issue the notice of demand to the firm in the best interest of the general members of their communities.

“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.

“The consent which your company claims it obtained and on the basis of which the company was wrongfully granted an Exploration License and Mining Lease, was vehemently disclaimed by the persons you claimed gave the said consent.

“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 a 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 the host community 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.”

Efforts to get a response from the company proved abortive as Adamu Tah, one of the two directors of the company, did not pick up his calls or respond to text messages.