Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has urged religious leaders in the state to use their sermons to discourage parents from allowing teenagers to engage in artisanal mining. This call was made on Tuesday when the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State Chapter, led a condolence visit to him at the Government House, Minna. The visit was following the death of 37 young artisanal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The governor's call comes as a response to the recent tragic incident involving the deaths of 37 young artisanal miners. He emphasized that the state government had made basic and secondary education free, urging parents to take advantage of the policy by enrolling their children in school rather than exposing them to the dangers associated with artisanal mining. According to the governor, both basic and secondary education in Niger State are free for all children.
Governor Bago stressed that it is the responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure that enrolment into school is encouraged. He urged religious leaders to use their platforms to call on parents to discourage their children from indulging in artisanal mining and to encourage them to enrol in schools. This, he believes, will help the children become better citizens in the future.
The governor also assured that his administration would pursue the ongoing inquiry into the deaths to establish the truth. He described the incident as avoidable and said alleged lapses by security personnel must be thoroughly investigated. The governor emphasized that the tragedy was a result of lack of professionalism on the part of the officers.
Earlier, the Chairman of CAN Niger State Chapter, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, represented by his deputy, Rev. Joshua Marcus Rikoto, expressed the condolences of the Christian community to the governor, the government, and the families of the deceased. Yohanna, who is also the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, described the deaths as tragic and called for efforts to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The CAN chairman commended Governor Bago for prioritizing the restoration of peace following the incident, particularly his decision to postpone the flag-off of his campaign. Yohanna urged the governor to ensure that the true circumstances surrounding the deaths were established. He prayed for the repose of the deceased and for comfort for the families who lost their loved ones.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety and welfare of children in Niger State. Governor Bago's administration has been urged to take concrete steps to prevent such incidents in the future. The governor's call to religious leaders to discourage teenage mining is seen as a step in the right direction.
Key points
- Governor Bago urges religious leaders to discourage teenage mining.
- The state government has made basic and secondary education free.
- An inquiry into the deaths of 37 young artisanal miners is ongoing.
