Nasarawa State government has shut down a Lithium mining firm, known as Trimadix Geomin Consult Limited in the Kokona Local Government Area of the state for allegedly commencing operations without following the laid down laws regulating mining activities in the state.

The State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Kwanta Yakubu, while speaking on the development during a press conference in Lafia on Wednesday, lamented that Trimadix Geomin Consult Limited did not follow due process before commencing operations.

Kwanta further explained that the mining firm was closed down in line with the state government’s commitment to put an end to the activities of illegal miners across the state.

“This action followed a petition from the community’s chief on the illegal mining activities in his domain without proper consent.

“There exists in Nasarawa State, the Executive Order No. 02 of 2022 signed into Law by His Excellency, Governor Abdullahi Sule, which particularly provides that all community consent and development agreement made pursuant to Section 116 of the Mineral and Mining Act, 2007, and prior to signing by authenticated Community Heads shall be forwarded to the Ministry of Justice through the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to be vetted and certified by the Attorney General of Nasarawa State.

“The Executive Order also provides that all mining entities arriving in the state with Authority of the Federal Government to carry out mining in the state must undergo checks by the Ministry responsible for environment and mining, and the security agencies in the state in order to verify their legal status, citizenship and background before settlement.

“The so-called mining entity claiming to be licensed to carry out mining activities in the Amba community is not known to the Nasarawa State Government according to the provisions of the Executive Order No. 02 of 2022, and the mining site remains closed and secured until responsible investors who are trusted by the community and the state, through a proper consenting, are licensed to mine in the area,” the commissioner stated.

Kwanta also stated that the state government is committed to continue to mount surveillance on the mining site, adding that any other mining site with similar issues of not following the laid down laws of the land would also be shut down.

Recall that the mining company, Trimadix Geomin Consult Limited had recently accused the Nasarawa State government of undue interference in their mining activities in the state.