Parents of 37 artisanal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, Niger State, have demanded compensation over the deaths of their children.
The bereaved families said the compensation would not only provide some relief but also serve as a deterrent against alleged abuse of power and promote accountability among law enforcement personnel.
One of the parents, 50-year-old Musa Aliyu, said he lost two of his sons, Ibrahim, 17, and Abubakar, 12, in the incident.
Aliyu, who said he had been battling ill health for about a year, described his late sons as his major source of support, particularly in purchasing his medications.
He said the children left home peacefully on Wednesday for a mining site at the Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Housing Estate but failed to return later that day.
According to him, his wife later learnt that some miners had been arrested and went to the NSCDC office near the PDP Secretariat to search for the children.
He said she met several other relatives who had also arrived at the office looking for their loved ones, only to be informed that the miners were dead.
Aliyu said, “These children helped me sustain my medication. They contributed money to buy drugs for me. I leave whoever is responsible for the death of my children to Allah. I believe they were killed.”
Another bereaved father, Lawal Mohammad, said his 15-year-old son, Suleiman, was also among those who died.
Mohammad said he attempted to take food to his son after the arrest but was denied access by NSCDC personnel.
He said, “We went to the civil defence office on Wednesday night and were asked to return the following day. We went back on Thursday morning to give him food, but we were told that he was dead.
“I was at the civil defence office when the bodies were brought out and loaded into ambulances. I am in pain, and I cannot forgive this.
Those responsible should be made to pay compensation so as to serve as a lesson to others who abuse power.”
Mohammad said his son took up artisanal mining to earn a living and support the family.
He appealed to the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths and ensure that anyone found responsible was held accountable.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported the development.