A 
registered mining company, K.M. Done Mining limited has formally petitioned the Zonal Mines Officer, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, South West zonal office, Federal Secretariat, Complex, Ibadan over the use of brutal force, forceful entry, assault, unlawful arrest, ejection and theft of 12 truck loads of lithium ore belonging to it by West Africa New Energy Material Company limited.
In her complaint letters dated the 12th and 15th January, 2026, written by its legal practitioner, Y.A. Azeez Esq., it stated that the said West African New Energy Material Company limited in connivance with the men of the Nigerian Police force, Army and mining marshal forcefully entered its mining site in Saki with about seven trucks initially and later five additional trucks all painted with colour yellow and green loaded with its lithium ore and drove them out of its mining site.
The seven initial trucks ferrying 35 tons each of stolen lithium ore were intercepted in Ilorin Kwara state and the trucks and the drivers were arrested and detained by the D.S.S.
However, having met brick walls along Kwara state, the West Africa New Energy Materials Company went back with additional five trucks of 50 tons capacities to steal further lithium ore but this time around, change route to Ogun State with four of the five trucks and its contents now in the yard of
M&W TRANSPORTATION COMPANY LIMITED,
Saapade, Ode Remo, Lagos – Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State.
The remaining one truck developed a mechanical fault on its way to Ogun State and now near the Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki Area in Saki, Oyo State.
According to the petition dated the 15th of January, 2026 which made reference to the earlier one of 12th January, 2026 both written on behalf of the complainant, “it would be recalled that the South West Zonal office of your ministry alongside the department of State service intercepted seven trucks suspected of illegally transporting lithium ore in Kwara state.
It is however, disheartening to report again that while the seizure and the culprits are still being investigated, on Wednesday, the 14th January, 2026, the same company, the West African New Energy Materials Company limited responsible for the theft of our client’s lithium products, accompanied by their collaborators consisting of the men of the Nigerian Police force, Army and Mining Marshal who had all been compromised and are all on illegal duties had again forcefully re-entered our client’s mining site.”
The legal practitioner stated that his client, had since been barred and prevented from having access to its licensed mining site by the West African New Energy Materials Company limited, using the police, Army, mining marshal of the NSCDC and hoodlums.
The lawyer further stated his client is being tagged by the West African New Energy Materials Company limited as illegal miner whereas it is not.
The petitioner called on the zonal Mines officer and the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to quickly and promptly intervene by notifying all the relevant law enforcement agents to ensure that the West African New Energy Materials Company limited did not go away with their criminalties.
