The furor over the death of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in Niger State has continued to generate reactions even as the federal government has constituted an independent committee to investigate the tragedy.
As the investigation commences, and the suspension of the state commandant of the corps, Suberu Aniviye, and 19 others, the question remains; is the federal capital territory the next tragedy waiting to happen?
The 37 detainees out of 67 who died last Thursday, after they were arrested during anti-illegal mining operations conducted by the NSCDC in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State.
Here in the FCT, illegal mining activities is thriving in some communities especially in Pangu, a remote farming community nine kilometres off the Abuja-Lokoja expressway in Kwali Area Council.
In Pangu, active illegal gold mining operation is running openly and inside it: children.
A report by The Whistler notes that gold mining operation has been ongoing in Pangu for over 15 years.
Quoting Mohammed, an artisanal miner, “I have been here for a long time, I later brought family here to the extent that I am now part of the community, so I have spent like 15 years now.
“The gold has reached an end unlike the previous year, now we are just struggling to get some. Before we use to have mine much gold but now the to find the gold is difficult.
“We just use our own initiative to predict that there is gold here, we are more accurate in search of gold than those who use tracking equipment.
“I have taken a gold mining company to a gold site, so the company used to work together with artisans because there are situations where the machines can’t extract gold.”
Mohammed disclosed that there were times government forces have swooped on them, but owing that they “settle them” euphemism for bribery, they have been some respite.
“We use to settle the community leaders and traditional title holders of the community, but is the buyers that use to settle them.
“Government sometimes disturb us, but the main dealers are the ones paying and settling the government, there was a time they didn’t settle the government, that led to the arrest of some miners, which later the dealers have to go and pay to settle and bail their people.”
The question becomes legitimate given that Mining Marshals of the corps arrested two suspects over alleged illegal gold mining at a site in Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT, recently.
Acting on credible information, operatives of the specialised enforcement unit were deployed to the location, where the suspects were apprehended at an active gold extraction site.
Speaking on the development, Commander of the Mining Marshals, ACC John Onoja Attah, said the operation demonstrated the Corps’ commitment to sanitising the mining sector and protecting legitimate mineral title holders from encroachment, environmental abuse and economic sabotage.
He said the Mining Marshals would continue to deploy intelligence-led operations, surveillance, investigations and prosecutions to tackle illegal mining networks across the country.
Attah warned that individuals and groups involved in illegal mining would be identified, investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Some individuals who spoke with The Abuja Inquirer are of the view that lessons must have been learnt from the Minna tragedy but urged for a quick sitting of the special investigative committee to avoid another tragedy.
