Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has accused officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps of acting unprofessionally in the handling of 37 illegal miners who reportedly died while in custody.
Bago made the remarks in Minna when officials of the Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria visited him at Government House to commiserate over the incident.
“The death of the artisanal miners would have been avoided, but due to lack of professionalism on the part of the officers,” the governor said.
His statement came while a state committee was already examining the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Bago said the government would pursue the investigation to its conclusion and prayed for the families of those who died.
The governor also called for peaceful coexistence among residents of different ethnic and religious backgrounds.
He said his administration would continue to treat residents fairly irrespective of origin or faith.
Bago urged religious leaders to discourage parents from allowing children to participate in artisanal mining and instead encourage school enrollment, noting that basic education was free in the state.
Earlier, the state CAN leadership condemned the deaths and commiserated with the affected families and the people of Niger State.
The association welcomed the establishment of an investigative committee and urged government to implement its recommendations once the inquiry was completed.
The precise circumstances of the deaths and any individual responsibility remain subject to the ongoing investigation.
