Crime
37 Miners Dead: Survivor Makes Ownership Claim as IBB Denies Any Connection
A survivor of the Niger State mining tragedy that claimed the lives of 37 people in Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) custody has alleged that the gold mining site where the victims were arrested belongs to former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.
The allegation was made by Malam Babawo Tudun Nasera, who lost his 17-year-old brother, Salim, among the detainees.
In a video obtained by SaharaReporters, Nasera recounted how NSCDC operatives stormed the mining site and ordered the miners to stop work.
“They wanted us to stop working at the site,” he said
He alleged that the order was ignored because the owner had instructed them to continue working.
“They wanted the work to stop, even though the owner of the place had said that we should continue working,” he said.
When asked who owned the site, Nasera replied, “It belongs to Babangida.”
Pressed on whether he was referring to former military Head of State, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, popularly known as IBB, he answered, “Yes.”
“Yes, he said we should continue working,” Nasera added when asked whether Babangida had instructed them to remain at the site.
The claim has not been independently verified, while it remains unclear whether Nasera was referring to ownership of the mining operation, a mining lease, the land itself or another form of association.
IBB Denies Ownership
Former President Babangida has strongly denied any connection to the mining site.
His representative, Dr Danladi Umar Abdulhameed, described the allegation as “false, baseless and completely without foundation.”
“We categorically reject the publication and demand that the false impression created by it be corrected. General Babangida has no connection whatsoever with the mining operation in question,” Abdulhameed said.
In a separate statement, Babangida condemned the deaths of the 37 suspected illegal miners and called for a thorough investigation.
He described the incident as tragic and deeply disturbing, commiserated with the families of the deceased, and commended the Niger State Government for setting up a committee of inquiry and ordering medical and forensic examinations.
He also urged youths and families to remain calm and avoid actions capable of escalating tension.
Survivor Recounts Brother’s Death
Nasera said his brother and others had gone into mining in search of a means of survival.
“We went there looking for food. The mining site was where people went to find something to feed their families. It was hard work. Then Civil Defence officers came, arrested them and took them away,” he said.
He alleged that the detainees were held for three days without being released.
“They kept them in custody for three days. They were all in their custody. We tried to get them released, but they refused,” he said.
Nasera also questioned the circumstances surrounding the deaths, noting that the detainees had eaten the previous day.
“Yesterday, they brought food to them and they ate. Each of them ate until he was satisfied. But from yesterday morning until today, what happened that made us come and find out that someone had died?” he asked.
He further alleged that the detainees were given “some kind of medicine or something” and exposed to heat, questioning whether the substance could have contributed to the deaths.
However, the claims have not been established as the cause of death.
The NSCDC has said the actual cause of the deaths remains subject to medical and laboratory examinations, while the Niger State Government has ordered a full investigation.
The ownership of the mining site, the legality of the mining operations, the circumstances surrounding the arrests and detention, and the cause of the 37 deaths are now central to the ongoing investigation.