Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has called on the Federal Government to issue an executive order banning mining activities in areas of the state identified as problematic, following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Gov Bago made the call during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, saying stronger federal intervention was required to tackle illegal mining because of the limitations on the state government’s authority over mining regulations and federal security agencies.
The governor said the situation required decisive action, particularly in communities where mining had become entrenched and where children were increasingly being drawn into artisanal mining.
“We need an executive order from the Presidency or from the Ministry of Mineral Resources to ban mining in certain locations where we have seen they are problematic. Once that is done, it can be enforced,” Bago said.
He said illegal gold mining had become habitual in parts of Niger State, with the financial attraction of mining making it difficult for some residents to abandon the activity.
Bago expressed particular concern over the growing involvement of children, saying many were leaving school to engage in artisanal mining.
The governor cited a UNICEF report which, according to him, indicated that by 2027 there could be no child in Grade 7, or JSS1, in some affected communities because children had abandoned classrooms for mining activities.
He said the development represented a major challenge for the state government, which was already working to address the consequences of illegal mining and its impact on communities.
Speaking on the deaths of the 37 suspected miners, Bago said the state government had limited control over detention facilities operated by federal security agencies.
“I am just chief security of the state by mouth,” he said, stressing that he could not assume responsibility for matters outside the authority of the state government.
The governor said the Department of State Services (DSS) and the police were investigating the incident, adding that the state government was seeking answers over what happened to the detainees.
Bago also disclosed that he saw “a lot of corpses on the floor” after the incident and alleged that some of those who died were not miners.
He further said the location where the suspects were arrested was not a licensed mining site but a housing estate.
The 37 detainees died on September 17 after they were arrested during anti-illegal mining operations in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16.
Bago had earlier disclosed that 67 artisanal and suspected illegal miners were detained at an NSCDC facility before 37 of them died. The exact cause of the deaths remained under investigation.
The incident has triggered investigations by the Federal Government, the police and the NSCDC, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directing a comprehensive, transparent and unhindered probe into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The Federal Government has also suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Commandant Suberu Aniviye, and other officers linked to the incident pending the outcome of the investigation.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, subsequently constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the identities of the deceased, their arrest and detention, as well as the cause and circumstances of their deaths.
The NSCDC has also paraded the suspended commandant and other officers linked to the incident at its National Headquarters in Sauka, Abuja, as part of the ongoing investigation.
Meanwhile, the police have taken over the scene of the incident and commenced investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The development has intensified concerns over illegal mining, child involvement in artisanal mining and the enforcement of mining regulations in Niger State.
Bago said his administration would continue to seek answers over the deaths while pushing for stronger measures to restrict mining activities in areas where the practice poses serious risks to communities and children.
