The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has expressed deep concern over the reported deaths of 37 young miners in Niger State, Nigeria. The victims, aged between 14 and 20 years, died while in custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) during enforcement operations at suspected illegal mining sites. HOMEF described the incident as a stark reminder of the human and environmental consequences of Nigeria's extractive economy.
According to HOMEF, the tragedy raises serious concerns about the conditions driving young people into hazardous mining activities and the broader impacts of resource extraction on communities and the environment. The organisation stressed that the incident should not be viewed solely as a case of illegal mining or security enforcement, but as part of a wider crisis linked to destructive extractivism.
HOMEF Executive Director, Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, emphasised that Nigeria must rethink development strategies that prioritize resource extraction without adequately considering the social and environmental costs borne by communities. He warned that an economic model that undermines ecosystems and livelihoods cannot provide a sustainable future for the country.
Dr. Bassey noted that Nigeria must avoid repeating the experience of the Niger Delta by replacing oil dependence with large-scale mineral extraction that leaves communities facing pollution, displacement, damaged farmlands, and loss of traditional means of livelihood. He highlighted the urgent need to address poverty, unemployment, and economic exclusion, which often push young people into dangerous and informal mining activities.
The HOMEF Executive Director argued that efforts to curb illegal mining should focus on building an economy that protects both people and the environment, rather than expanding industrial-scale extraction. The organisation called on authorities to ensure that no individual taken into custody during mining enforcement operations loses their life due to neglect, unsafe detention conditions, or other preventable circumstances.
HOMEF urged the Federal Government and the Niger State Government to launch an independent and transparent investigation into the deaths, establish accountability where negligence or wrongdoing is found, and strengthen environmental monitoring and restoration efforts in mining-affected communities. The group also advocated for greater participation of host communities in decisions relating to mineral extraction and protection of ecologically sensitive areas.
The organisation insisted that Nigeria cannot effectively address illegal mining without confronting the deeper crisis of extractivism. HOMEF recommended increased investment in sustainable livelihood opportunities, emphasising the need for a comprehensive approach to address the root causes of illegal mining and its environmental and social impacts.
Key points
- HOMEF demands an independent probe into the deaths of 37 young miners in Niger State.
- The organisation calls for a shift from destructive extractivism to sustainable development strategies.
- Nigeria is urged to address poverty, unemployment, and economic exclusion driving young people into informal mining activities.
