A former member of the House of Representatives, Daniel Asuquo, has taken legal action against the Governor of Cross River State, Bassey Otu, over alleged unlawful interference in his mining operations.
Asuquo, who represented the Biase/Akamkpa Federal Constituency, is accusing the state government of invading his mining site in Akamkpa Local Government Area, seizing equipment worth more than ₦200 million, and disrupting legitimate exploration activities, despite holding valid mining leases granted by the Federal Government.
In suit number FHC/PHC/CS/147/2025, Asuquo listed as respondents: the Cross River State Government, the Attorney-General of the state, Chairman of the Anti-Illegal Mining Taskforce, Prince Effiong, as well as the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Nigerian Army.
The former lawmaker, through his lawyers D. Tarhemba and David Saando, is seeking an interlocutory injunction restraining the respondents from “further invading the applicant’s mining site, arresting the applicants, or obstructing exploration and mining activities pending the determination of the substantive suit.”
According to court documents, Asuquo argued that only the Federal Government had the right to control solid minerals under the 2007 Mining Act, claiming the Otu-led administration acted illegally.
“The applicants are at imminent danger of losing their mining business if this Honourable Court does not urgently intervene,” the petition partly reads, adding that the alleged invasion had cost them over ₦500 million in revenue losses.
The plaintiffs further alleged that state taskforce operatives, acting with the support of security agencies and hired thugs, not only impounded mining equipment but also deployed excavators to extract minerals from their licensed site.
Other applicants in the suit include Olayi Mines and Energy Ltd, Achu Fidelis Inyambe, and Doveline Investment Nigeria Ltd.
The case, which is being heard at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, acting as a vacation court covering Cross River State, is expected to reopen debate over the extent of state governments’ powers in regulating mining, an area reserved for the Federal Government under the constitution.
As of the time of filing this report, the Cross River State Government and the office of the Attorney-General had yet to issue an official response to the suit.
