By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
Survivor of miners locked up in the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) cell in Niger state, Abdulsalam Yakubu has alleged that the operatives stole two bottles of mined gold, ₦1.35 million and his other valuables belongings during their arrests and detention.
Contrary to claims by the State NSCDC Command, Yakubu said 48 artisanal miners died in the custody and not 37 or 33 being projected be relevant sources.
Yakubu, made the allegations, Wednesday while testifying before the Justice Mohammed Mohammed Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by Niger state government to investigate the exact incidents that led to the deaths of the artisans in the Minna NSCDC custody.
The missing money, Yakubu had told the commission, was kept in a bag containing his personal belongings, including his working tools when he was arrested at a mining site in Lokoto area, Bosso Local Government Area (LGA).
Yakubu presenting a pathetic background on how he got into mining by chance and circumstances as a victim of armed bandits incursions into Niger state interiors said his working tools and other valuables were taken by the NSCDC operatives while in detention.
Yakubu told the Commission that he was among millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) displaced by armed bandits, who fled Allawa community in Shiroro LGA to Minna following persistent attacks and killings of his kinsmen by the invaders.
When there was nothing else to do as their farmlands were also taken over by the armed bandits, Yakubu said he took up mining to earn a living and tp support his aged parents who are currently in one of the IDP camps.
Despite arrests and deaths of fellow artisinal miners most of whom died in custody, Yakubu also told the Commission that he would continue mining because they were forced to abandon farm lands and farming and had no other jobs or alternative source of survival.
He told the Commission, “We are still going to continue, we are going back to mining sites because I don't have any other means of livelihood. We came into mining because we have been displaced from our community in Allawa by armed bandits”.
Yakubu also disputed the widely reported figure of death toll in NSCDC which were widely put at 37 artisinal miners, insisting that the actual number was not less than 48.
“I am aware that we lost 48 persons while in the Civil Defense custody, not 37 as reported. I'm even surprised to hear that it was 37 people died in custody", Yakubu stated.
The claims by one of the few survivors who are now speaking out loud and presenting entirely different accounts that not less than 48 people lost their lives inside the overcrowded cell, our correspondent indicated has been a subject of public concerns and that of the Commission or official investigators.
Yakubu also alleged diversion of relief funds, but accusing no one in particular about the development which has further elicited the angst and worries of bereaved families.
Also speaking, another witness, Dauda Shehu pointed accusing fingers on members of the Nigeria Mining Association (NMA), Niger state chapter of diverting part of the financial assistance to parents of deceased miners and survivors.
Giving insight into donors who came to support the victims and their families, Dauda Shehu told the Commission that the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Mohammed Mamman Nami, and his wife, Hajiya Zainab Nami, were among those that provided significant financial assistance to them.
Dauda claimed that the PDP guber candidate donated ₦500, 000 each to the parents and survivors, while his wife, Zaynab contributed ₦10 million, adding that sums were channelled through the leadership of the NMA, Niger state chapter but that the sharing or disbursements were not done transparently.
The beneficiaries, according to him received only ₦300, 000 instead of the ₦500,000 reportedly donated by the PDP flag bearer, while just ₦50, 000 was allegedly distributed to beneficiaries from his wife's ₦10 million contribution to victims and their families.
He further accuses operatives of, Niger State established Mining Marshal, said to have one, Jibril Sani as their leader of taking substantial sum from the donations, some of their working tools and also part of mined gold from his bag while he and others were in detention.
When demanded that monies and his other belongings taken away be returned, Dauda pathetic picture of how the leader of the State's Mining Marshal allegedly told him bluntly that he should be grateful for securing his release on bail. NNL.
