 …Attributes Eventual Disclaimer To Local Authorities’ Manipulation
 …Wants Zuru Local Govt Chairman-Backed Coy Operating On Site Stopped
A leading mining company with exploration licence granted by the Mining Cadastral Office of Nigeria (MCON) has dismissed the withdrawal of consent by the host community, Rikoto, in the Zuru Local Government Area of Kebbi State as unfounded and an interest-driven manipulation by local authorities.
A.A Kubuwa Investment Nig. Limited issued the rebuttal in a letter signed by its MD/CEO and made available to the media with the transaction documents, following a notice served it by the MCO about a consent-withdrawal letter it (the MCO) received from the host community, Rikoto, over the mining site, demanding a response within two weeks.
Responding to the MCO letter titled: Re: Letter of Disclaimer, dated 12th/01/2026, with reference: MCO/M&C/69180 EL/6, A.A. Kubwa affirmed, “We have had as a fundamental principle the need to comply fully with all the legal, ministerial, administrative and social/community requirements before ever seeking an approval of an Exploration License.
“In our bid to secure the Grant of Application No. 69180 EL we consulted widely with the local community and sought and obtained their consent and creditably meeting their demands.”
With attached printouts from the banking transactions marked Annexures 1 and 2 for ease of reference, sighted by our correspondent, the mining company stated that it paid an agreed sum in compensation at the time of seeking and eventually securing the local community’s consent.
“Before making these payments we were assured by the community and the said Alh. Shehu Mohammed Rikoto (the signatory to the complaint and the District Head of Rikoto), and we conducted due diligence and confirmed, that there were no competing and/or adverse interests over the proposed site.
“The community members including the signatory to the complaint, signed the consent letter only after the payment of the compensation for the consent as well as Alh. Shehu Mohammed Rikoto, and we duly filed our application for the grant, paid all necessary fees to your offices,” it explained further.
Citing a case of foul play in the matter, the company said credible information gathered revealed that after it obtained the consent of the community and the subsequent grant of its application by MCO, the Chairman of the Zuru Local Government Council started showing personal interest in the mining site and so crafted a letter to the Rikoto District Head (a copy of which was also obtained by our correspondent) claiming among other things that the community had previously given consent to one SANI YARO MINING COMPANY.
“Ordinarily if this were the case, we would have been told by the community before hand and we would have found this out by ourselves before committing our company.
“The Zuru Local Government letter even claimed, albeit falsely, that the Kebbi State government had given directives on how consent were to be given by local communities. This is rather strange as we all are aware that mining and mineral issues are governed and administered by the Federal Republic of Nigeria through among others, your office. In any case, the alleged state government directives were not shown to anyone, not even the local community heads nor to our company.
“The Rikoto District Head (the signatory to the complaint) alleges that there had been a consent given to another company, OGODO DIGITAL GOLD MINING REFINERY LIMITED, thereby contradicting the Zuru Local Government Chairman who alleged that the consent had previously been given to SANI YARO MINING COMPANY,” the company said.
For peaceful resolution of the matter in the interest of industrial progress for national growth, A. A. Kubuwa, has urged the federal government to as a matter of urgency stop ongoing works on the site by the Zulu Local Government chairman – backed company which according to him had since mobilised several earth moving mining equipment to the site, by deploying there security operatives, particularly the Civil Defence Corps or mining marshals whose primary responsibility it is.
It therefore prayed that “a meeting of all the parties to the entire transaction be convened as a matter of urgency at the MCO to trash the issue, knowing for certain that community leaders are being cajoled, coerced, intimidated and manipulated into seeking to withdraw their consent, to enable the company make progress lawfully and meet up with the payment of royalties to the federal government.
The Federal Government of Nigeria through the MCO had in a letter titled: “RE: LETTER OF DISCLAIMER”, signed by Mohammed Abershi for the Director General, dated 12 January, 2026 addressed to A. A. Kubuwa Nig. Ltd, notified and forwarded the letter of complaint against the mining company received from Rikoto District Palace Sabon Garin Rikoto, Zuru Local Government, Kebbi State, demanding for the company’s response within two weeks.
In an earlier letter referenced: MCO/CONC/EL/69180, dated 12 December, 2025, signed by Ibrahim A. J. for the DG, a copy of which was made available to the media also, the MCO conveyed its approval of the company’s application for grant of Exploration Licence No. 69180EL.
On its part, the Chairman of Zuru Local Government had in a letter signed by Abubakar S, Dabai, Director Administration, addressed to the District Head of Rikoto, titled: “REVOCATION OF CONSENT ON ZODI MINING AREA, dated 02/ 01/2026, directed that the consent earlier granted A. A. Kubuwa by the community be revoked, citing grant of consent over the same mining site to multiple companies.
“…it has come to the notice of the Local Government Council that you and your Village Head of Rafi has assented consents to various mining companies despite that of SANI YARO MINING COMPANY, in order to process and obtain a mining site at Zodi Mining Area of your district. In view of the above, you are hereby advised to, as a matter of urgency, write letters to revoke all signed consents, due to administrative and other reasons governing the State Mining System … .
“It is also important to note that, consent Forms (Letters) for mining are only signed duly in collaboration with and under the directives of the Local Government Council Chairman as prescribed by the Ethics of Administration and the directives of His Excellency, The Executive Governor of Kebbi State,” the letter read in part.
In turn, the Rikoto District Head, Alh. Muhammad Shehu Bandi, in a letter titled: “RE: REVOCATION OF CONSENT”, addressed to A. A. Kubuwa and the Chairman, Zuru Local Government Council, dated 16 January, 2026, withdrew his consent.
He said, “I wish to write and refer you to the letter received from the Local Government Ref. No: ZLG/ADM/237/VOL.II, dated 2” day of January, 2026 in respect to the above subject matter.
“In view of the above, I hereby write to revoke my signature appended in your consent form to enable you process a mining title with location at Rafi Hita Village Area in my District Area.
By this, signatures become null and void today, 16 January, 2026.