Some of the alleged illegal miners arrested in Niger State have said they turned to mining for survival after persistent attacks by armed bandits forced them to flee their homes and farmlands.
For years, insecurity has forced hundreds of residents of communities in the state to abandon their homes, farms and businesses in search of safety.
The attacks have claimed dozens of lives and forced many residents to flee their communities for safer places, with some turning to menial jobs to survive.
The farmers-turned-miners from Allawa community in Shiroro Local Government Area said their struggle for survival ended in tragedy after 37 artisanal miners died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, the state capital.
The miners, who died between last Thursday and Friday, were reportedly locked up in a small cell where they suffocated to death.
The incident has sparked national outrage, with the NSCDC arresting and detaining 24 personnel in connection with the deaths.
The Federal Government has also constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the incident.
The panel was inaugurated on Tuesday in Abuja by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. It has two weeks to complete its work.
发表于 2026-9-21 07:12:33
