The Commander of the Mining Marshals, Attah John Onoja, has filed a defamation suit against a flagship newspaper, seeking ₦2 billion in exemplary damages over a publication he claims misrepresented facts and harmed his reputation.
Filed through his legal counsel, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, the suit pertains to an article published on June 23, 2025, titled “Community alleges involvement of mining marshals in illegal mining”.
Onoja claimed that the report negatively impacted his image and questioned the credibility of the Mining Marshals, a government task force established to combat illegal mining activities across the country.
In court filings, he asked for ₦2 billion in damages, citing reputational harm and the wide reach of the publication.
He expressed concern that the story was published without seeking clarification from him or the agency, a step he believes would have ensured balance and accuracy.
“The activities of the Mining Marshals are conducted transparently, in line with the law and open to public scrutiny,” Onoja stated, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to integrity and national reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
He reiterated that the Mining Marshals remain focused on their mandate to sanitise Nigeria’s mining sector and would not be distracted by what he described as attempts to derail their mission.