The Federal Government has uncovered a plot by a foreign mining firm, Jupiter Ltd, to orchestrate a “campaign of calumny” and blackmail during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to the United Kingdom, scheduled for March 18–19, 2026.

According to the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Jupiter Ltd allegedly intends to sponsor protests and media campaigns to discredit Nigeria’s mining reforms, driven by a dispute over the revocation of mineral titles formerly held by Basin Mining Ltd due to ₦2.49 billion in unpaid fees.

The ministry alleged that the company was orchestrating the “campaign of calumny” to embarrass the President during the historic two day state visit in the company of his wife, First Lady Oluremi.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla will host the president and the First Lady at Windsor Castle On Wednesday and Thursday.

The visit is Nigeria’s first state visit in 37 years to Windsor Castle.

But in a statement by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Segun Tomori, the ministry alleged that the company planed to sponsor a protest and media campaign targeted at discrediting the government over the enforcement of mining regulations.

Tomori described the firm’s claims as a “tissue of falsehoods” designed to distract from the government’s efforts to sanitize the mining sector.

According to the statement, the controversy stems from the revocation of mineral titles previously held by Basin Mining Ltd, a Nigerian company reportedly fronted by Australian national Steve Davis.

The ministry said the licenses were revoked after the company failed to pay statutory annual service fees totaling N2,494,000,000 for mineral titles 45454ML, 45117ML, 45118ML, 40532ML, and 40533ML for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years.

The statement noted that the government has no direct legal relationship with “Jupiter Lithium,” as Nigerian law prohibits granting mining licenses directly to foreign entities.

The statement said: “The Federal Government, through the Ministry and the Nigeria Mining Cadastral Office (NMCO), has no legal or contractual relationship with any company known as Jupiter Lithium. The Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act (NMMA 2007) expressly prohibits the granting of mining licenses to foreign companies.”

The ministry further accused Mr. Davis of being a “mining speculator who manages a web of six different companies to acquire titles without conducting actual operations.

“This practice, the government argues, prevents genuine investors from entering the market and contributes to the rise of illegal mining.

On the rumor that the titles were seized to favor a Chinese firm, the ministry dismissed the claim as a “complete fabrication.”

Tomori further said: “Instead of adhering to Nigerian mining laws, Davis would rather operate surreptitiously as a mining speculator who sets up companies to acquire mineral titles and shortchange the nation.

“Unfortunately for him, the government’s strict application of the regulations caught up with him.”

Insisting that the ongoing reforms are intended to transform the mining sector into a major contributor to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the ministry maintained that federal government would not be intimidated by international pressure or “shows of shame” organised abroad.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria cannot and will not be intimidated or blackmailed into abandoning reforms by the antics of any individual or company.

“The nefarious activities of the past that stunted the growth of the mining sector will no longer be tolerated,” the statement warned.

Despite the crackdown, the ministry reiterated that Nigeria remains open for business, highlighting incentives such as tax waivers on imported equipment and the full repatriation of profits for those who follow the law.

The government urged the international community to disregard the planned protests in the UK, characterising the move as a desperate attempt by discredited individuals to circumvent transparency.

At the weekend, Special Adviser to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kehinde Bamigbetan, reacted to the falsehoods sponsored by Jupiter Ltd in a publication titled “Nigeria seizes British Lithium project under armed guard.”

In his response titled: “In Nigeria’s mining sector, the law is no respecter of persons”, Bamgbetan exposed the antics of one Steve Davis and Hamish MacDonald, whose deceitful enterprise in the mining sector eventually met the full weight of the law.

The Asoro family has issued a formal public apology following a viral video of a bullying incident at Igbinedion Education Centre in Benin City, Edo State.

The video, which sparked widespread outrage, showed several students—specifically identified as seniors—beating and kicking a fellow student on the ground while another recorded the assault.

The school management had earlier announced that all students involved had been expelled.

In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by Tim Asoro on behalf of the Asoro family, the parents expressed shock and deep embarrassment over the incident.

“Watching the video has been one of the most distressing and heartbreaking experiences of our lives as parents. We have watched it with shock, sadness, and deep embarrassment,” the statement read.

“As a family, we are ashamed that our child was involved in conduct that caused pain and distress to another student,” it added.

The family apologised directly to the victim and his relatives, noting that no child deserves to be treated in such a manner.

“To the student who was affected, we want to say from the depths of our hearts that we are truly sorry. No child deserves to be treated that way. As parents, we cannot begin to imagine how frightening and hurtful the moment must have been for him. Our hearts go out to him and his family,” the statement said.

While the family expressed relief that medical reports confirmed the victim was physically unharmed, they acknowledged the seriousness of the incident and the emotional distress it may have caused.

Describing the episode as a painful moment of reflection, they said they had held serious discussions with their son, who expressed deep remorse for his actions.

“He understands that what happened has consequences not only for himself but also for another child, the school, and our entire family. We do not excuse what happened. It was wrong, and we are determined that our son must learn from this moment,” the statement read.

The parents added that steps were being taken to ensure their son receives guidance and counselling to help him develop into a more responsible and compassionate person.

They also reiterated their respect for the disciplinary measures taken by the school and extended another apology to the victim, his family, and the wider school community.

“Our family hopes that healing will come to everyone affected by this painful incident and that our son will learn the lessons needed to become a better person,” the statement concluded.

Earlier, the Edo State Police Command said it had summoned the school management to hand over the students involved for investigation and possible prosecution. The Edo State Government also promised sanctions for anyone found culpable.

The state Ministry of Education has set up a five-member investigative committee to determine the circumstances of the incident and identify all students involved. The police confirmed that investigations were ongoing and that those found culpable could face prosecution.

This is not the first Nigerian secondary school bullying case to attract national attention. In 2024, a video surfaced showing the brutal bullying of a female student at Lead British International School in Gwarinpa, Abuja. The victim, Namtira Bwala, was repeatedly slapped by fellow students, sparking widespread outrage across the country.

The Lagos State Government has officially announced the reintroduction of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, set to resume on Saturday, April 25, 2026.

This marks the return of the state-wide cleaning culture nearly ten years after its suspension in 2016.

Residents are expected to clean their surroundings, clear drainage channels in front of their homes, and dispose of waste responsibly as part of efforts to improve environmental hygiene and tackle waste management challenges.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, on Saturday, disclosed the development in a statement, explaining that the exercise would officially restart later in the year.

“I am pleased to inform all Lagosians that the monthly environmental sanitation exercise will resume effective Saturday, 25th April 2026, holding on the last Saturday of every month from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

“During this period, residents are enjoined to clean their surroundings, clear drainage channels in their frontages, and dispose of waste properly as a civic responsibility.”

Wahab urged residents to view the initiative as a shared duty toward building a healthier city, stressing that the government would ensure strict compliance.

“This exercise is a collective responsibility and a vital part of our commitment to a cleaner, healthier, and flood-resilient Lagos. And it shall be backed with the full enforcement weight of the Lagos State Government,” he said.

Explaining the significance of reintroducing the sanitation culture, the commissioner said the state was returning to a practice that once formed part of Lagosians’ lifestyle.

“Let me formally say this and say it boldly. Mr Governor and his deputy are taking a very audacious step. For those who don’t know, prior to 2016, we had a culture that emphasised cleanliness as next to godliness.

“Once every month, we took our time to clean up our surroundings and then maintain them sparkling. However, for some years, we stopped it.”

He said the absence of the exercise had contributed to mounting environmental pressures in the state.

“Now, waste, debt, and environmental challenges have become an existential challenge to us as a state. It’s taken us over a year to debate, talk, and agree that it’s time to reintroduce a monthly environmental sanitation,” Wahab said.

Appealing to residents for cooperation, he urged Lagosians to dedicate a small portion of their time each month to environmental cleanliness.

“It’s a plea that it is time for us to give up just one or two hours a month. In our marketplaces, every Thursday, we observe environmental cleanliness. But this time, we are saying as a state, let us sit back once a month and observe the cleanliness of our environment as we used to before 2016.”

JomogNews reports that the monthly sanitation exercise, previously held on the last Saturday of every month between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., was suspended in November 2016 following a legal pronouncement restricting movement during the exercise.

The suspension later coincided with growing waste management concerns, including clogged drainage channels and indiscriminate refuse disposal across parts of the state.