Women in Mining Nigeria (WIMIN) has demanded an independent judicial inquiry into the deaths of 37 artisanal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.
The Founder and National President of WIMIN, Engr. Janet Adeyemi disclosed this in a statement she issued on Saturday following the deaths of the miners who were arrested during enforcement operations in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16.
In the statement , Adeyemi noted that while the NSCDC initially attributed the deaths to an unverified “disease outbreak”, accounts from survivors and intelligence reports indicated that overcrowding, extreme heat, dehydration and suffocation may have contributed to the deaths.
It alleged that as many as 65 persons were held in a single poorly ventilated cell and that survivors reported banging on the doors for help as detainees collapsed.
WIMIN, therefore called for an independent investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The National President of WIMIN, Engr. Janet Adeyemi, said the incident demonstrated the need for government to address the socio-economic conditions driving young people into artisanal mining rather than relying solely on enforcement.
“We cannot continue to use iron fists and lethal containment strategies against young citizens who are driven into mining pits by the sheer desperation for survival.”
She said artisanal mining had become a means of survival for many young people facing hunger and extreme hardship, warning against treating poverty as a criminal offence.
She noted: “WIMIN emphasises that the actions of these young men cannot be viewed in isolation from the crushing poverty that plagues the region. According to official data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Niger State experiences a severe socio-economic deficit: 69.1% Multidimensional Poverty Rate: Nearly 7 out of every 10 residents in Niger State live in multidimensional poverty, meaning they are systematically deprived of basic healthcare, education, and adequate living standards.
72.8% Extreme Poverty Level: World Bank data indicates that 72.8% of the state’s population lives below the baseline extreme poverty line ($2.15/day), rising sharply to 92.9% living under $3.65 a day.
‘Hence, to address the root causes of this crisis and ensure that such an institutional failure never happens again, WIMIN urges the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Niger State Government to take the following immediate actions: Conduct an Independent, Transparent Judicial Inquiry: While WIMIN acknowledges the suspension of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant and the initiation of a police probe, we demand a fully independent judicial panel of inquiry. The autopsies at the Minna General Hospital must be monitored by independent medical experts to provide absolute transparency to the families.
“Prosecute and Hold Perpetrators Accountable: Anyone found guilty of negligence, duty failure, or the abuse of power within the detention facility must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
“Comprehensive Overhaul of Detention Conditions: The Ministry of Interior must launch an immediate audit of all paramilitary and security agency detention cells nationwide to eradicate overcrowding, ensure humane ventilation, and establish strict protocols for emergency medical responses.
Women in mining also called for the shift from Criminalisation to Formalisation of artisanal mining.
“Government must recognise that economic survival is driving youth into mining pits. Instead of treating artisanal mining solely as a criminal enterprise to be suppressed by gunpoint, the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development must accelerate the formalisation, organisation, and cooperative bundling of artisanal miners started. Providing them with legal frameworks, training, and safer equipment will safeguard both state assets and human lives.
“The Ministry must also ensure that the good initiatives of the ministry is not destroyed by overzealous mining marshals who are not trained to manage such crisis. Protect Vulnerable Children and Support Bereaved Families: The state must enforce stricter child labor protections within the mining sector, providing educational alternatives so that teenagers are not driven to dangerous mining pits. The government must also adequately compensate the affected families for the loss of their loved.” She urged.
Adeyemi stated that WIMIN extends its deepest condolences to the grieving families, particularly the devastated mothers and women who have lost their sons, brothers, and primary breadwinners to this horrific incident.
