Laleye Dipo Minna
Niger State Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Umaru Bago, has accused officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) that handled the case of the dead 37 illegal miners of being ‘unprofessional’.
Bago made the remarks in Minna on Tuesday when he received officials of the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) who paid him a sympathy visit at the Government House.
“The death of the artisanal miners would have been avoided, but due to lack of professionalism on the part of the officers,” Bago declared, adding that government would investigate the issue to its logical conclusion.
He prayed to God to console the relations of the deceased illegal miners.
Governor Bago also sued for continued peaceful coexistence among the diverse ethnic nationalities and adherents of the major religions in the state, adding that his administration would continue to accord equal treatments to all residents in the state.
However, the governor advised religious leaders to use their pulpits to discourage parents from allowing their children from partaking in artisanal mining, saying instead, they should enroll them in schools as basic education is free in the state.
Earlier, the state CAN chairman represented by his deputy, Rev. Joshua Markus Rikoto, condemned the death of the artisanal miners and commiserated with bereaved families and the government and people of the state over the disaster.
Rev. Rikoto commended the state government for setting up a committee to investigate the matter and advised that the report of the committee should be implemented in order to give the public assurance that government did not have any hand in the incident.
He commended the governor for what he described as the “good job he is doing in developing the state”, as well as his support for the Christian community.
A special prayer for the repose of the souls of the deceased and continued peace in the state was offered by former CAN Chairman, Rev. Mathias Echioda.