Nigeria Donates 250 Million Naira After 37 Miners Die in Custody

Vice President Kashim Shettima visited Minna, Niger State, on Monday to convey President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's condolences following the deaths of 37 illegal miners. The individuals died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, a federal agency.

During the visit, Shettima announced a Federal Government donation of 250 million naira to support the bereaved families. He also confirmed that the federal government has constituted an independent panel to investigate the circumstances of the deaths to ensure accountability. While demanding answers, Shettima cautioned against the politicization of the tragedy and defended Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, asserting the governor had no role in the incident because the security agency is a federal entity.

Governor Bago received the Vice President at the Government House and noted that the visit coincided with the submission of a separate state-level committee report on the incident. Bago also mentioned that both the President and Vice President were outside the country when the deaths occurred. Families of the deceased met with Shettima and expressed appreciation for the federal intervention.