Despite the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), some miners have returned to the M.I. Wushishi mining site in Minna, Niger State, saying they have few alternatives for earning a living.
Miners, including teenagers, women, and adults, were seen working at the site on Saturday, using shovels, picks, and other hand tools to search for gold.
The development followed NSCDC raids on mining sites in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas on September 15 and 16, during which scores of suspected illegal miners were arrested. The deaths of 37 detainees were discovered on September 17.
The NSCDC initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak but said the actual cause had yet to be established. President Bola Tinubu has since ordered a full investigation, while the Niger State commandant, Suberu Aniviye, was suspended pending the outcome of the probe.
At the mining site on Saturday, no security personnel were seen as workers continued digging and processing excavated soil.
One miner, Salisu DanMallam, who said he had worked at the site for more than 15 years, said staying away from mining for even a few days affected his income.
“If you don’t come out for a day or two, you will feel it because there are no profitable jobs,” he said.
DanMallam said he had not been at the site during the arrests and was still unable to determine how many of his colleagues remained in detention or had died.
Another miner, 26-year-old Buhari Rabiu, said he fled the area after being warned that NSCDC officers were approaching.
Rabiu also alleged that he had previously been arrested and assaulted during an NSCDC raid and claimed that N120,000 was collected for his release. These allegations have not been independently verified.
The miners’ return comes amid growing scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding the deaths in NSCDC custody. Survivors and families have raised concerns about the conditions in which detainees were held, while authorities continue to investigate the cause of the deaths.
The incident has also triggered protests and calls for an independent investigation, with the Federal Government saying the circumstances surrounding the deaths must be established.
Leave feedback about this