The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Secretariat has donated N52 million to the families of 37 artisanal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State and to survivors of the incident.
The APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, announced the donation when he led members of the party’s National Working Committee on a sympathy visit to the Niger State Government.
Under the arrangement, N1 million will be given to each of the families of the 37 deceased miners, while N500,000 will be presented to each surviving artisanal miner affected by the incident.
The donation is intended to provide immediate support to families dealing with the loss of their loved ones and complement efforts by the Niger State Government to assist those affected.
Yilwatda attributed the deaths to what he described as dereliction of duty by security personnel and urged the state government to remain focused despite the incident and the security challenges confronting parts of Niger State.
However, investigations into the circumstances surrounding the deaths are still ongoing. The Federal Government has constituted an independent investigative committee to establish what happened and determine the circumstances that led to the deaths.
Receiving the APC delegation, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago appreciated the party for the gesture and described the visit as a demonstration of the relationship between the party and the Niger State Government.
Bago said the donated funds would be forwarded to the Emir of Minna for distribution to the affected families and survivors under the supervision of his deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba.
The APC delegation also paid a condolence visit to the palace of the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Faruk Bahago, where discussions focused on the need to maintain peace and peaceful coexistence among residents.
The deaths occurred after suspected illegal miners were arrested during NSCDC operations in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Minna earlier in September. The circumstances surrounding the deaths have prompted investigations by both federal and state authorities.
For the affected families, the financial assistance comes as they continue to deal with the loss of relatives whose deaths while in custody have raised questions about detention conditions and accountability.
