Niger governor says miners’ deaths have drawn wide attention

Niger State Governor Umaru Bago has said the deaths of 37 artisanal miners while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have attracted significant local and international attention. Bago made the comments in Minna when he received a delegation of traditional rulers led by the Etsu Nupe and chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Yahaya Abubakar. The delegation visited the Government House to offer condolences over the incident.

The governor described the deaths as unfortunate and thanked the traditional rulers for their expression of sympathy. He praised traditional institutions for helping to maintain peace and law and order through ward and village heads across the state. Bago also thanked the emirs, including Minna’s Emir, Umar Faruk Bahago, for helping to keep communities calm after the incident.

He said Niger State faced several challenges, including insecurity, but added that his administration was working with the Federal Government to address them and promote peace and stability. Abubakar described the miners’ deaths as tragic and prayed for the repose of those who died. He urged the governor to remain steadfast in leading the state and called on stakeholders to follow the rules and regulations governing their activities, saying legal compliance was necessary for peaceful coexistence.