Despite the recent deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, some teenage and adult miners have returned to the M.I. Wushishi mining site in Minna, Niger State, insisting that they have no other means of livelihood.
The miners returned to the site even as investigations and official actions continued following the deaths of detainees arrested during a security operation in the area.
Some of the miners reportedly told journalists that they were prepared to continue working at the site despite the risks, with some declaring, “We are ready to die here.”
The miners, including boys, women and adults, were seen working at the site with shovels, picks and other hand tools. Some were digging loose soil, while others used water to separate excavated materials in search of gold.
The development followed operations conducted by the NSCDC around the Lt. Gen. Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna on September 15 and 16. The corps said the operation was targeted at suspected illegal mining activities and resulted in the arrest of scores of people.
However, 37 of those arrested subsequently died in custody. The circumstances surrounding the deaths have generated public concern and calls for an investigation.
The suspended NSCDC Niger State Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, had said the detainees died following what he described as a suspected disease outbreak. The NSCDC has since taken disciplinary and investigative steps over the deaths, including the suspension and detention of personnel connected to the incident.
Despite the tragedy, some miners returned to the site, saying that staying away from mining would leave them without an income.
One of the miners, Salisu DanMallam, said he had been involved in mining around the area for more than 15 years. He explained that he stayed away for two days after the NSCDC raid but eventually returned because he could not afford to remain idle.
DanMallam said alternative employment opportunities were scarce and that even work he had taken up outside mining was not as financially rewarding.
“If you don’t come out for a day or two you will feel it because there are no profitable jobs,” he said.
He also described the miners as a closely connected community, saying they treated one another like family. However, he said he was unable to determine how many people arrested during the operation were still alive or remained in detention.
Another miner, 26-year-old Buhari Rabiu, said he had worked at the site for about two years. He claimed that he and other miners fled after receiving information that NSCDC personnel were approaching.
Rabiu further alleged that he had previously been arrested during an operation and suffered injuries during the encounter. He claimed that his family eventually intervened and that he was taken to hospital for treatment before his release.
He also alleged that money was demanded for his release and claimed that a friend was shot by NSCDC personnel. Those allegations have not been independently verified.
The miners’ return illustrates the difficult economic choices confronting people engaged in informal mining. For those interviewed, the risks associated with the activity appear to be weighed against the immediate need to earn money and support themselves and their families.
Some miners also said they were aware of the dangers associated with digging, including the possibility of landslides. DanMallam said workers at the site generally avoided digging too deeply because of the risk of the earth collapsing.
Meanwhile, the deaths of the 37 detainees remain under investigation, with the authorities facing pressure to establish exactly what happened to the miners after their arrest and whether any officials should be held responsible.
The situation has therefore created a difficult balance between enforcing regulations against illegal mining and addressing the economic circumstances that continue to push young people and adults into the activity.
For the miners who have returned to M.I. Wushishi, however, the immediate concern remains survival. Their decision to resume work, despite the deaths that occurred after the recent arrests, underscores the depth of the economic hardship confronting the mining community in Niger State.
