By Tukur Gusau

The Commander of the Mining Marshals unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Attah Onoja, has instituted a N2 billion defamation suit against Terver Najime, a lawyer, and Abel Augustine, publisher of Signal News Global, over an alleged defamatory publication accusing him of demanding a N50 million bribe.
The suit was filed before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja, where the senior security officer is seeking legal redress for what he described as false and damaging allegations capable of tarnishing his reputation and undermining his professional integrity.
According to court documents, the publication circulated by the defendants allegedly claimed that the Mining Marshals commander demanded a N50 million payment in connection with activities linked to mining enforcement operations. Onoja, however, strongly denied the allegation and insisted that the report was fabricated and maliciously intended to bring his name and office into disrepute.
The plaintiff is therefore asking the court to award him N2 billion in damages for defamation, stressing that the publication has caused serious reputational harm and has also exposed him to public ridicule. He further requested the court to compel the defendants to retract the statement and publish an apology in widely circulated national media platforms.
Sources close to the matter indicated that the commander views the legal action as necessary to protect his personal and professional credibility, particularly given the sensitive nature of the responsibilities attached to the Mining Marshals unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
This is not the first time Onoja has taken legal action over allegations he considers defamatory. In an earlier development, he also dragged the publisher of The Guardian newspaper before a court over a similar report which he claimed falsely portrayed him in a negative light. The case was filed after the newspaper allegedly published claims that he said were inaccurate and damaging to his reputation.
Observers say the commander’s decision to pursue legal remedies in such cases reflects his determination to challenge what he considers deliberate attempts to misrepresent his role and activities in the fight against illegal mining and the protection of Nigeria’s solid mineral resources.