Chidinma Iroegbu
The National Civil Society Coalition for Oil, Gas and Mining Host Communities has called for immediate reform of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act and legislative investigation into the deaths of 37 miners in Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) custody in Minna, Niger State.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Lawrence Dube, the coalition said the National Assembly should summon NSCDC leadership and hold a public hearing, arguing that legislative recess should not prevent oversight during a humanitarian crisis.
The group said the victims should not be reduced to the description of “illegal miners,” arguing that many were displaced farmers who turned to artisanal mining amid insecurity and economic hardship.
The coalition further demanded prosecution of security personnel found responsible, calling on the Niger State Government to make toxicology and autopsy findings on the 37 deaths public.
It also urged the Niger State Government and Federal Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals Development to provide long-term financial compensation and psychosocial support for families of the deceased.
The group said the review of the Mining Act should require security agencies to replace what it described as militarised crackdowns with a system for moving artisanal miners into regulated and protected small-scale mining cooperatives.
It also proposed a mandatory Mining Workers Compensation Scheme and Mine Rehabilitation Support Fund, saying mining enforcement should be backed by clear safety and compensation measures.
On host communities, the coalition called for stronger statutory oversight of Community Development Agreements, saying local communities should have greater powers in decisions affecting mining activities in their areas.
The group also urged the Federal Government to improve security in Niger State’s farming communities, arguing that restoring access to farms would reduce the economic pressure pushing displaced residents towards hazardous artisanal mining.
The coalition said the Minna deaths should not end with administrative suspensions, declaring that “the blood of the Minna 37 must now dictate the direction of governance” and urging Nigerians and civil society groups to keep pressure on authorities until accountability and justice are secured.