Mining Marshals Commander Sues Newspaper for Defamation, Demands ₦2 Billion in Damages
According to a NewsVista report, the Commander of Nigeria’s Mining Marshals, Attah John Onoja, has slammed a N2 billion defamation lawsuit against The Guardian newspaper over what he describes as a false and damaging publication.
The article in question, published on June 23, 2025, alleged that community members had accused Onoja’s unit of being involved in illegal mining activities. But in a firm legal response, Onoja claims the story was malicious, baseless, and circulated globally without verification or journalistic balance.
Filed through his legal counsel, Adeola Adedipe (SAN), the suit seeks exemplary damages for the reputational harm done not just to Onoja, but to the integrity of the Mining Marshals — a government-backed outfit launched to tackle illegal mining across Nigeria.
In a statement obtained by NewsVista, Onoja said the report was a direct attack on his character and the institution he leads. “This publication is nothing but a smear job aimed at weakening our progress in cleansing Nigeria’s mineral sector. We must begin to hold rogue journalism accountable,” he declared.
Onoja accused the media house of breaching professional ethics, warning that unchecked misinformation not only undermines public trust but also threatens national reforms in the solid minerals sector.
The controversy comes as Nigeria continues to grapple with illegal mining across states like Oyo, where rights activists and the federal government have linked illicit operations to insecurity and economic sabotage.
Stay with NewsVista as the case develops and the fight against illegal mining intensifies.