Mining tragedy: Survivor narrates dying moment of inmates arrested after ‘refusing to pay bribe’

Some survivors of a tragic incident involving illegal miners have recounted the harrowing experience of being held in a detention facility after being accused of refusing to pay a bribe. According to the Daily Trust, 37 suspected illegal miners were arrested by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and tragically lost their lives just two days later.

Dauda Shehu, one of the survivors, spoke to Zarar Bunu TV about the ordeal. He described how the inmates in the cell began to cry out and bang on the door for help, but the NSCDC personnel on duty did not respond. Shehu recounted how they resorted to desperate measures in an attempt to survive, including drinking their urine and calling for assistance. However, their pleas went unanswered as one after another, the inmates began falling victim to the circumstances.

The survivors explained that trouble began when community leaders in Lokoto demanded N150,000 for each mining pit. Many of the young miners were unable to pay the amount, with some paying while others promised to pay later. Despite the overcrowded conditions in the cell, the inmates were not tortured but faced excessive heat and limited ventilation. They watched helplessly as their colleagues died, both in the night and in the morning on Thursday.

The parents of the deceased miners appeared distressed upon seeing their children's lifeless bodies. Hauwa Umar and Ummi Halli, two of the parents, appealed to the authorities to release the remains of their children for burial. They insisted that the miners had committed no offense, as they were merely seeking to make a living through mining.

Malam Abdullahi, a security guard at A.A Rano filling station, shared that he had sought bail for his son from the NSCDC for three days but was denied. He expressed his sorrow at finding his son's lifeless body among the other victims.