Dantasidi: Government Must Protect, Not Criminalise, Artisanal Miners
The National President of the National Artisanal and Small Scale Mining Cooperative Society (NASSMCS), Alhaji Abdullahi Dantasidi, has mourned the death of 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.
Dantasidi, who spoke in an interview with newsmen in Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State on Sunday, described the incident as painful and unfortunate, calling for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The victims were among scores of people arrested during NSCDC operations against suspected illegal mining activities in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16. The deaths were discovered in custody on September 17, with the circumstances and cause of death now the subject of official investigations.
The Federal Government has since suspended the Niger State NSCDC commandant and other officers connected with the incident and constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the deaths.
Dantasidi said the loss of the miners was a major blow not only to their families but also to the artisanal mining community and the country’s mining sector.
“I am deeply shocked, saddened and depressed over this incident. These are young men who would have contributed immensely to the growth of the mining sector and the development of Nigeria but now they are no more,” he said.
He urged the government to ensure that the investigation was comprehensive and transparent, particularly given concerns surrounding the conditions under which the miners were detained.
Dantasidi also called for measures to improve the security and welfare of artisanal miners across the country, arguing that the government should work with the sector rather than treat all artisanal miners as criminals.
“We in the artisanal mining community are deeply concerned in the way our members are often treated and we want that to change because without artisanal miners no one will benefit from the mining sector,” he said.
He described artisanal miners as important participants in mineral exploration, saying many operate in difficult and remote locations in search of the country’s mineral resources.
“Artisanal miners are the first explorers in the mining sector. We are independent, hardworking and have sacrificed our lives, leaving behind loved ones to go into the bushes across the country to help explore and reveal where the mineral resources of this country can be found,” he added.
The NASSMCS president appealed to the Federal Government to introduce incentives and other support programmes capable of increasing the productivity and output of artisanal miners.
He said better collaboration between government agencies and legitimate artisanal miners could help the country maximise its mineral resources while improving regulation within the sector.
Dantasidi, who is also Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dantasidi Group, a mining and investment company with interests linking Asian and African mining businesses, commiserated with Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, and the families of the deceased.
He further called on the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident and ensure that anyone found culpable after due process is brought to justice.
The artisanal miners’ leader stressed that the outcome of the investigation should provide clear answers to the families of the deceased and help prevent a recurrence of the tragedy.
