The Niger Rescue Movement (NRM) has received with deep shock, outrage and profound sadness the gruesome and unacceptable news of the death of 37 young artisanal miners while under the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.
We stand in unwavering solidarity with the families of the dead, the youth community of Niger State, and the entire artisanal mining population who have been subjected to systematic harassment, criminalization of poverty, and state brutality.
According to reports from families and community sources, these 37 young Nigerians - whose only crime was seeking a legitimate means of survival through artisanal mining in the face of mass unemployment and government neglect - were arrested and subsequently died under suspicious and unexplained circumstances while in the custody of an agency constitutionally mandated to protect lives and property.
This incident is not just a tragedy; it is a state crime, a gross violation of human rights, and a clear breach of Sections 33 and 34 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which guarantee the right to life and dignity of the human person.
We, in the Niger Rescue Movement, condemn in the strongest possible terms:
1. The unlawful arrest and detention* of these artisanal miners without due process.
2. The alleged torture and inhumane conditions* that led to their death in custody.
3. The culture of impunity* that has allowed security agencies to turn Niger State into a killing field for our youths.
4. The failure of the Niger State Government* to protect its young population from exploitative and violent state actors.
These were not criminals. They were youths abandoned by the state, forced to dig the earth with their bare hands to feed their families, while their God-given mineral wealth is looted by politically connected companies.
OUR DEMANDS:
1. An immediate, independent and transparent judicial panel of inquiry into the death of the 37 miners, with full participation of civil society and families of the victims.
2. The immediate suspension and prosecution of all officers of the NSCDC involved in the arrest and detention of the deceased miners.
3. The Federal Government, through the Commandant General of the NSCDC, must publicly account for what happened in their Minna facility.
4. Adequate compensation and psychological support for the families of the 37 slain youths.
5. An immediate end to the militarization and criminalization of artisanal mining in Niger State. Government should formalize and support artisanal miners, not kill them.
6. The National Human Rights Commission and the International community should beam their searchlight on the gross human rights abuses in Niger State.
We warn that no amount of intimidation will silence the voice of the Niger youth. The blood of these 37 young men cries for justice, and we shall not rest until justice is served.
We call on all progressive movements, youth groups, human rights organizations, traditional institutions, and well-meaning Nigerlites to join us in demanding accountability.
We mourn. We condemn. We demand justice.
The dead cannot cry for justice, it is the duty of the living to do so.
Signed:
Hon. Mikail Bmitosahi
Leader
0807 770 0060
Niger Rescue Movement (NRM)
Together,We Lift!
Update
NIGER RESCUE MOVEMENT CONDEMNS THE EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLING OF 37 ARTISANAL MINERS IN NSCDC CUSTODY IN MINNA - DEMANDS JUSTICE FOR THE SLAIN YOUTHS
The Niger Rescue Movement (NRM) has received with deep shock, outrage and profound sadness the gruesome and unacceptable news of the death of 37 young artisanal miners while under the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.
