Lawyer and member of the committee investigating the deaths of miners in Niger State, Deji Adeyanju, has urged authorities to establish who owned and operated the mining site before describing the victims as illegal miners.
Adeyanju, speaking during an interview on Channels Television, said conclusions about the status of the miners should be based on the findings of the investigative committee rather than assumptions about their activities.
“We cannot call them illegal miners because there has been no fact-finding to that effect yet,” he said.
According to the lawyer, determining the ownership of the mine should be a central part of the investigation, alongside establishing whether the operators obtained the required approvals and complied with existing mining regulations.
Adeyanju argued that mining activities should be traceable under the current administration because the Federal Ministry of Mines has undertaken efforts to map mining locations and issue certificates to operators.
“In my view, especially with the new regime, there are no illegal miners in Nigeria because the Ministry of Mines has mapped out almost all mining sites in the country and given certificates to the owners,” he said.
“So, what we should be looking at is: who is the owner of the mine?”
His comments come as questions continue to surround the circumstances that led to the deaths in Niger State, with attention focused on the operation of the mining site and possible regulatory breaches.
Adeyanju said the investigative process should establish the facts before responsibility is assigned to the victims or other parties involved.
As a member of the committee constituted to investigate the incident, he said the panel has a responsibility to determine what happened, identify those responsible for the mining operation and establish whether relevant laws and safety requirements were followed.
The investigation is expected to provide clarity on the circumstances surrounding the deaths and determine whether the mining site was operating legally and under appropriate regulatory oversight.
