The Governor of Niger State, Umar Bago has on Monday presented cheques of five million naira (N5 million) each to the families of the deceased illegal miners who died while in custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna. Speaking when he hosted relatives of victims and survivors at the government house, Minna, Governor Bago said the financial support was intended to provide some relief to them, adding that the money could not replace the lives lost.
The governor while expressing appreciation to the families of the deceased and the survivors for their patience and perseverance during the difficult period also presented two million naira cheque each to the survivors of the incident. It should be noted that investigations into the incident are still ongoing, as more persons are claiming to have been involved in the incident.
Bago however declared that the committees set up and led by the Deputy Governor Yakubu Garba and the Minna Emirate would continue to verify claims. Accordingly, he said there had been additional deaths linked to the incident, including one reportedly caused by a gunshot at the NSCDC facility, while two survivors were initially recorded at the facility. Furthermore, he urged people to desist from unsafe and unprofessional mining activities and encouraged the affected families to use the support to rebuild their lives and return their children to school.
The governor also announced plans to provide learning facilities around the affected areas, with teachers to be deployed to enable children in the communities have access to education. Responding after receiving on the behalf of the families, the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Faruk Bahago, appreciated the Niger State Government for the gesture. He also offered prayers for the state, the survivors and the families of the deceased.
