By Palma Ileye
Special Adviser to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, Kehinde Bamigbetan has faulted a report by a British newspaper, The Telegraph, questioning former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair’s support for Britain while his institute allegedly advises the Nigerian government.
Bamigbetan, in a rejoinder to an article by Gordon Rayner published on October 18, 2026, described the report as contradictory, arguing that the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) and the Federal Government had denied that the institute had a contract to advise the Nigerian government.
He said the report’s suggestion that Blair might have undermined British national security interests was inconsistent with the denial of any advisory contract between the institute and the Federal Government.
Bamigbetan also disputed claims concerning mining company Jupiter and its partners, Basin Mining Limited and Range Mining Limited, saying the companies lost their licences for failing to pay statutory annual service fees.
He said Basin Mining Limited owed N1.223 billion, equivalent to about £691,368, adding that the licences were revoked after the companies allegedly ignored several notices from the Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office to fulfil their financial obligations.
According to him, penalties for non-payment continue to accrue, while legal proceedings to recover the outstanding amounts are underway.
He accused Jupiter of embarking on an international campaign against the Nigerian government rather than settling its outstanding obligations or allowing the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes to determine its case.
He alleged that the campaign was intended to discredit the government and put pressure on Nigeria over the mining dispute.
Bamigbetan further criticised Jupiter’s promoter, Steve Davis, accusing him of using international connections to challenge the government’s regulatory actions.
He said the dispute followed efforts by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, to enforce compliance with the Nigeria Minerals and Mining Act 2007 after assuming office in August 2023.
According to Bamigbetan, Alake discovered substantial unpaid statutory fees at the Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office despite government investment in the Electronic Mining Cadastre Plus (EMC+) system, which digitised the licensing process and improved services in the mining sector.
He said the Ministry subsequently notified affected companies and gazetted defaulters before revoking their licences in line with the law.
Bamigbetan stated that the minister revoked at least 1,663 mining licences in November 2023 over non-compliance with payment requirements.
He added that the government also provided a three-month restitution window to enable affected licence holders to present complaints and explain circumstances surrounding their defaults.
However, he alleged that Davis discouraged his partners from taking advantage of the opportunity and instead threatened to use his international connections to frustrate the Federal Government.
Bamigbetan also accused Davis of orchestrating what he described as a global disinformation campaign across Australia, Canada, the United States and Europe.
He further alleged that the campaign intensified during President Bola Tinubu’s official visit to the United Kingdom in March 2026, when narratives were circulated that, according to him, sought to damage Nigeria’s relations with Western countries.
He urged journalists to independently verify claims relating to the dispute, warning against publishing allegations without sufficient scrutiny.
He maintained that journalists had a responsibility to examine the facts and contradictions in reports before giving them wider publicity.
