There is no end in sight in the feud between Dangote Group and Bua Group over ownership of Mining Lease No. 2541, located in a boundary town of Oguda/Ubo in Okene Local Government of Kogi State.
While the management of Dangote Group over the weekend accused BUA of engaging in illegal mining of limestone deposit in its site, BUA on the other hand accused Dangote in collaboration with The Ministry of Mines and Steel of forcefully claiming ownership of the controversial mining site.
Executive Director of Dangote, Mr Devakumar Edwin yesterday frowned upon the ‘media war’, instigated by BUA against the Dangote Group, over a matter already pending before the Federal High Court, Benin Division.
Edwin said: “Dangote Group validly acquired its interest and mining title in the disputed Mining Lease No. 2541 from AICO Ado Ibrahim & Company Ltd sometime in 2014 and the ministry approved the deal.
He said BUA in its process in Court acknowledged that these ‘illegal mining’ leases which it claimed were granted in 1997 were temporary mining leases.
Meanwhile the ruling Atta Omadivi Family of Okene in Kogi State have added their voice to the conflict in a statement issued over the weekend.
A statement by Prince Mahmoud Atta on behalf of the Atta family expressed disdain over the ministry’s conclusion in a publication stating that suit FHC/LK/CS/25/2017 between Alhaji Mohammed Otaru Adeika & Ors. Versus AICO Ado Ibrahim and Company Limited, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel, The Mining Cadestre Office and Dangote Industries Plc pending in Federal High Court in Lokoja will determine who owns the contentious site.
Prince Atta wonders why the ministry has special interest in Dangote to ‘openly and illegally’ bequeath them ML2541 under contention in competent Court, describing the act as tantamount to contempt of the court.
Stressing that the court had ordered that no one can claim ownership of ML2541, Atta said neither Aico nor Dangote owns ML2541 as wrongly declared by the ministry adding that the mining lease remains non transferable until the suit was determined.
