Officials of the Niger State Ministry of Minerals Resources were said to have narrowly escaped mob action and attack following the decision of about by300 irate women and youths of Tutungo community in Paikoro Local Government Area of the State allegedly converged to attack them during a fact-finding visit in the area.
The officials were said to be investigating the immediate or remote cause of the death of two brothers at a mining site.
The development followed alleged extortion of N25,000.00 by officials of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), from members of the community.
It was gathered the incident occurred last Thursday, where the two deceased brothers Zubairu and Sadiq Ibrahim, aged between 20 years and 25 years, died at a mining site at Kakaki village, Butu.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that rather than helping or sympathising with the family over the loss, the NSCDC officials were said to have demanded and collected the sum of N25,000.00 from the bereaved family members
The development was said to have prompted the aggrieved villagers to transfer aggression on the mining officials who were on a fact-finding visit.
Eyewitness accounts from the community said the ministry’s officials managed to escape the area unhurt through the help of some members of the community as the angry mob was armed with sticks, waiting for opportunity to strike.
Confirming the development, the State Ministry for Mineral Resources in a statement by the Information Officer, Mrs Dibie Maureen, said the team led by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Yunusa Mohammed Nahauni encountered difficulties accessing the accident site.
According to the statement, “They (community members) disclosed that officials from the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) had allegedly extorted 25,000 from the parents of the deceased to fuel their vehicles, causing the villagers, particularly the youth and women, to express their anger on the team.
“They thought the team had also visited them to also extort money. However, with pleading and persuasion from the Permanent Secretary and the Director, Mining, the situation was calmed down before leaving the village.
“The Permanent Secretary reminded the community that the governor’s order suspending mining in the state and crackdown on illegal mining operations still subsist, warning that anyone found in violation of these regulations would face legal consequences.”
Responding, the District Head of Tutungo Paiko LGA, Mallam Muda Abdullahi thanked the team and acknowledged being informed about the incident by Mallam Ayuba Ahmadu, the village head of Butu Kakaki village.
However, when contacted, the state Command headquarters of NSCDC through its Public Relations Officer, DSC Abubakar M.R Muti denied the allegations.
Muti stated, “The Deputy Governor Comrade Yakubu Garba called our state Commandant on the issue and he led a delegation to the area. You don’t expect the family of the deceased to give us money to go there.
He however described the allegation as false, saying, “we have cautioned all our divisional officers and they all said nothing of that sort occurred . We have gone there, written in in our report and submitted our report to the acting governor of the state.”
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