Nigeria mining crackdown under fire after 37 die
Niger state on Friday suspended all mining until further notice and imposed a round-the-clock curfew in the city of Minna.
Thirty-seven individuals died while in custody during a Nigerian government crackdown on suspected illegal mining, igniting protests and raising questions about the nation's enforcement efforts. Niger state imposed a temporary halt on all mining activities and placed Minna, a city approximately 150 kilometers northwest of Abuja, under a continuous curfew.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps arrested numerous people on Monday and Tuesday near Minna. The cause of death remains undetermined, though Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago suggested it might be due to suffocation in crowded cells.
The civil-defence corps is under intense scrutiny as Abuja relies heavily on it to control unlicensed mining while simultaneously attempting to attract more investment to the sector. The government established Mining Marshals, comprised of corps personnel, to dismantle illegal sites, apprehend suspects, and safeguard licensed operations.
In response to the incident, the state government initiated an inquiry, mandating forensic examinations and autopsies. Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo temporarily removed Niger State civil-defence commandant Suberu Aniviye while a federal investigation takes place.
Civil-defence chief Ahmed Audi reassigned Aniviye and senior officers overseeing operations, legal affairs, intelligence, and investigations to the federal headquarters in Abuja. Additionally, the Niger state civil-defence command initially reported a potential disease outbreak as the cause. Amnesty International called for an independent investigation, alleging that minors were among those detained.
The state government previously reported 880 registered mining companies and cooperatives but noted that only 261 had submitted to state profiling. Unlicensed mining remains prevalent in Nigeria, with the Mining Marshals clearing 374 suspected illegal sites between March 2024 and August 2023, arresting 743 people and prosecuting 165 cases involving 430 defendants, with only five convictions secured.
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