The Commander of the Mining Marshals, Attah John Onoja, has filed a ₦2 billion defamation lawsuit against a Nigerian newspaper over a report he claims misrepresented facts and damaged his personal and professional reputation.

The suit, filed through his legal counsel, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, revolves around an article published on June 23, 2025, titled “Community Alleges Involvement of Mining Marshals in Illegal Mining.”

In court filings, Onoja described the publication as misleading and harmful, stating it cast doubts on the integrity of the Mining Marshals — a federal task force established to combat illegal mining activities across Nigeria.

“The activities of the Mining Marshals are conducted transparently, in line with the law and open to public scrutiny,” Onoja said, defending the credibility and lawful operations of the unit.

He argued that the report reached a wide audience and unfairly associated him and his agency with criminal behavior without seeking clarification or presenting a balanced perspective.

“The story was published without any effort to contact me or the agency. A simple inquiry would have ensured accuracy and fairness,” Onoja noted.

Citing reputational damage and emotional distress, the commander is seeking ₦2 billion in exemplary damages from the newspaper.

He further reaffirmed the commitment of the Mining Marshals to the ongoing reform agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

He said, “We remain committed to integrity and national reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu. We won’t be distracted by attempts to derail our mission.”

Onoja concluded by stating that the Mining Marshals would stay focused on sanitising Nigeria’s mining sector and upholding the law despite any false narratives circulated in the media.

Vanguard News