Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Nigeria, Nigercem drags Ebonyi State Government to court



Nigeria, Nigercem drags Ebonyi State Government to court

The Nigerian Cement Company Plc, Nigercem, has dragged Ebonyi State government before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, asking the court to restrain it from stopping Ibeto Cement from taking over its company situated at Nkalagu in Ebonyi State.

The plaintiff is contending that the state government lacked the powers to revoke its mining lease, just as it sought a declaration “that the defendant or any of them cannot lawfully or validly interfere with the property right of the plaintiff over the mining lease duly granted to the plaintiff by virtue of Section 1(1) (2)(3) of the Minerals and Mining Act 2007.”

Those joined as defendants in the suit were the Attorney-General of the Federation, Inspector General of Police, and Ebonyi State government.

Besides, the plaintiff is seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their servants, agents, privies or whosoever described from interfering in any way whatsoever with the right of the plaintiff to obtain access and enter the mining lease area.

The plaintiff also sought to exclusively use, occupy and carry out mineral exploration and exploitation within the mining lease areas without the plaintiff being found in breach of the terms and conditions of the mining leases or upon the expiration of the tenure of the mining lease.

Meanwhile, Justice Abdul Kafarati has fixed May 17 to hear the suit.

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