BUA Group twists narrative, claims Dangote dishing out cooked info on FG’s cover
Advanced media war is still raging between two Nigerian cement giants; Dangote Group and BUA Group over the real ownership of Limestone mine at Obu, Okpella, in Edo State.
In a latest release issued by the management of BUA International Limited, the company accused Dangote Group of sending false information to the public on the disputed mine under the false cover of the Federal Ministry of Mines and Power.
But the said ministry has not come out to deny whatever information so far issued by Dangote, thus casting additional doubts on BUA’s latest claims on the matter.
BUA further alleged that Dangote is acting out of desperation when its new set of publications, actions and tactics which have been falsely attributed to the Federal Government, seeking to achieve what they couldn’t get through legal means or their “connections in Government” are considered.
BUA’s statement averred in parts: “We therefore wish to draw the attention of the general public, investing public and other stakeholders to these new set of malicious and misleading information which are in fact, being cooked up in the offices of Dangote Plc.
“These publications have, at various times, been falsely attributed to pronouncements made by the Federal Government represented by the Ministry of Mines. BUA is now in possession of emails amongst other documents detailing a calculated attempt by Dangote Group to discredit and undermine BUA’s operations whilst painting a false picture to their stakeholders and the general public.”
“BUA remains in possession of the mining areas covered by its mining leases 18912 and 18913 in Obu, Okpella, Edo State and despite Dangote’s concerted campaign at misinforming the public, BUA continues to exercise its rights to operate the licenses in line with the court’s pronouncements that status quo be preserved.”
According to BUA Group, “Dangote’s insistence that there is no court pronouncement that status quo be preserved, transcripts by their lawyers from the latest court deliberation at the Federal High Court sitting in Benin on December 5, 2017, show that the courts not only insisted that status quo be maintained but also sternly warned the Minister and the Ministry of Mines from taking any actions that will undermine its pronouncements on maintaining status quo”.
BUA insisted further that it’s under no illusions that these attacks will stop nor are we able to comprehend why it is difficult for a good corporate citizen as they claim to be, to respect the rule of law and wait for the judicial process to take its rightful course.
