A tragic incident in Minna, Niger State, has sparked widespread outrage, with 37 suspected artisanal miners dying in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). Presidential aspirant of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Engr. (Dr.) Yakubu Mohammed Kingsley, has expressed deep sorrow over the incident, describing it as "deeply distressing." Kingsley commiserated with the families of the deceased, the government, and people of Niger State.
The PRP aspirant called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident, saying no Nigerian should lose their life while seeking a means of survival. He noted that reports from survivors suggested that some detainees were held in an overcrowded cell, struggled to breathe, and repeatedly called for help before dying. Kingsley emphasized the need for an urgent, impartial investigation and for Nigerians to be informed of the outcome.
Beyond the immediate tragedy, Kingsley said the incident raised broader questions about the conditions driving Nigerians, including young people, into hazardous artisanal mining. He cited hardship, unemployment, and limited access to formal employment, education, finance, and sustainable livelihoods as factors that have made artisanal mining a means of survival in some mineral-producing communities. However, he stressed that economic hardship could not justify illegal mining, environmental degradation, or criminal exploitation of Nigeria's mineral resources.
Kingsley advocated for a broader approach linking natural-resource governance with education, employment, community development, environmental protection, and national security. He proposed that communities hosting mineral resources should have a defined stake in their exploitation, with emphasis on community development, employment, skills acquisition, infrastructure, environmental protection, and transparent benefits. He also suggested that artisanal and small-scale mining that could responsibly be formalized should provide miners with access to appropriate regulation, training, safer working conditions, technology, finance, and legitimate markets.
The presidential aspirant expressed concern over reports that some of those who died were teenagers, describing illegal mining as a wider national development challenge. He noted that if children were leaving classrooms and entering dangerous mining sites because their families could no longer survive without their contribution, then the problem was much bigger than illegal mining. Kingsley emphasized the need for a shift from the extraction and export of raw materials towards domestic processing, manufacturing, and technology-driven industries capable of creating jobs and retaining more value within the country.
Kingsley, who is awaiting the November 2, 2026 judgment of the Federal High Court in the dispute over the party's presidential primary, said the Minna tragedy should prompt a wider national conversation about the management of Nigeria's natural resources and the economic conditions of host communities. He called for a speedy and transparent investigation into the Minna deaths, saying the victims should not become "another statistic" in a country already confronted by repeated reports of loss of lives.
Kingsley's policy framework proposes that communities where hydrocarbons and solid minerals are extracted should be recognized as stakeholders in the exploitation of the resources. He said such communities should have clearly defined and measurable benefits covering development, employment, skills opportunities, infrastructure, environmental protection, transparency, and grievance mechanisms. Kingsley prayed for the repose of the deceased, strength for their families, and speedy recovery for survivors, while urging measures to ensure that citizens, particularly children, are protected from hazardous livelihoods and that security agencies uphold human dignity while enforcing the law.
Key points
- PRP presidential aspirant Engr. Yakubu Mohammed Kingsley calls for investigation into Minna deaths and reforms in artisanal mining.
- The incident raised broader questions about the conditions driving Nigerians into hazardous artisanal mining.
- Kingsley advocates for a broader approach linking natural-resource governance with education, employment, community development, environmental protection, and national security.
