News
Niger : Survivor Narrates Dying Moment Of Fellow Miners
Some of the suspected illegal miners who shared same detention facility with the 37 suspects who died in custody have recounted their experience.
Recall that at least 37 suspected illegal miners who were arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) lost their lives barely two days after they were arrested.
In an interview with Zarar Bunu TV and published by Daily Trust, some of the survivors narrated how the deceased gasped for breath as their lives gradually slipped away.
“Those who still had a vestige of life began crying out and banging hard on the door, but NSCDC personnel on duty remained unresponsive,” Dauda Shehu, one of the suspects said.
Shehu, alongside his colleagues, left Allawa village full of hope in search of greener pasture, unknown to them that death lay in wait for them.
“We exhausted every means to stay alive, including drinking our urine and calling for help, but no one came to our aid. The inmates on the left and right began falling one after another,” he continued.
According to Shehu, trouble began when community leaders in Lokoto, a small village and residential settlement located in the Bosso Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State, demanded N150,000 for each mining pit.
“We met with them at the palace. They demanded N150k for each mining pit, but we complained that diamonds were not abundant in the area, and, therefore, we could not raise the amount. A few of us paid, while some promised to pay.”
“Sixty-six of us were put in one cell. Six people are currently on admission. They did not torture us, but there was excessive heat.
“We complained that the cell was too small to accommodate all of us, but they did not listen to us. We watched our colleagues die, and even when we raised the alarm, they thought we were lying.
“We drank urine because we couldn’t access water due to heat. Some people died in the night while others died in the morning on Thursday,” he said.
Aminu Sale (not real name) said that the suspects were drenched in sweat as they struggled to survive in the overcrowded cell.
“We shared, in turns, a small window for ventilation. Many of my friends and relatives have fallen,” he said.
Sale said that he is one of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Allawa in Shiroro Local Government Area of the state, saying mining is the only source of his income.
Parents who appeared distressed after seeing the lifeless bodies of their children, called on the authorities to release the remains of their children for burial.
Hauwa Umar (not real name) said her nephew was among the victims and appealed to the authorities to release his remains for burial.
She said, “We don’t want our son in the mortuary. We need his remains. They cannot bring our son back, but they are holding his remains. This is sheer injustice.”
Ummi Halli (not real name) also appealed to the authorities to release the remains of the grandson.
She said, “Thy committed no offense. They were earning their living legitimately. His younger brother came panting to tell me about the death of his elder brother. We need his remains immediately.”
Malam Abdullahi, a security guard at A.A Rano filling station along Mai Tumbi, said he had sought bail for his son from the NSCDC for three days, but his request was declined.
He said, “I saw ambulances loaded with corpses. I took food to my son that night. I also took food to him in the morning, but found his lifeless body. I lost a breadwinner.”
News
N1m Minimum Wage Will Collapse Nigerian Economy — NLC President, Ajaero
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, has explained why a N1,000,000 minimum wage would collapse the Nigerian economy.
He disclosed this during an interview on Thursday.
Ajaero said that while the NLC and the Federal Government were in talks over a minimum wage review, the real issue was to reduce the cost of living and boost the purchasing power of the country’s currency.
Ajaero stressed that the government must first address the underlying factors driving the high cost of living and strengthen the purchasing power of the country’s currency.
His comments come as the Federal Government recently approved a N70,000 transport allowance for workers amid rising fuel prices and the increasing cost of living.
Meanwhile, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero, has said it would be unfair to expect the labour union to stage protests over every N1 per litre increase in fuel prices in Nigeria’s deregulated downstream petroleum sector.
He disclosed this on Wednesday while responding to questions during an interview.
Ajaero, who appeared visibly angry at a question about his performance as NLC president over the past three years, clarified that the union had played its part in standing against economic hardship.
He explained that the NLC had been vocal in protesting the hardship faced by Nigerian workers.
“It will be unfair to expect NLC to protest or shut down the economy over every N1 per litre fuel price hike in Nigeria’s deregulated downstream petroleum sector,” Ajaero said.
The NLC had threatened to shut down economic activities over rising fuel prices and the minimum wage review on October 27, 2026. However, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration intervened with the approval of a N70,000 transport allowance for public workers.
News
Tinubu Departs Abuja For Makkah
President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on today for Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to perform Umrah, an Islamic pilgrimage, and pray for Nigeria’s peace, unity, stability, and progress.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the trip will provide the President with an opportunity for spiritual reflection and devotion.
While in Makkah, Tinubu will perform the religious rites associated with Umrah and seek Allah’s guidance and blessings for Nigeria and its citizens.
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Before departing the country, the president will commission equipment acquired by the Nigerian Air Force for its operations.
The commissioning will take place at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria next week after completing the spiritual exercise.
News
Ondo Police Arrest 14 As Mob Attacks Station
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested 14 individuals following a violent mob attack on the Ala Divisional Police Headquarters in Akure North Council Area of the state.
Chaos erupted after an angry crowd attempted to storm the station to seize two suspects linked to the murder of a farmer, resulting in gunshot injuries to two police officers.
The unrest followed the death of Rasheed Hassan, a farmer whose killing was reported to the police a few days ago from General Camp in the Government Reserve Area.
While disclosing the development, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abayomi Jimoh, stated that “upon receiving the report, police operatives visited the scene and recovered the victim’s body.”
“Preliminary observations by detectives revealed deep cuts to the victim’s head and other parts of his body, while his personal belongings were reported missing. Investigations were immediately launched to identify and apprehend those responsible for the gruesome killing.”
According to Abayomi, the situation escalated when the Ala Youth President purportedly apprehended two suspects in connection with the murder.
“While conveying the suspects to the police station for necessary action, he was confronted by an angry mob demanding that the suspects be handed over for extrajudicial killing.
“To protect the suspects from the crowd, the youth president sought refuge at the Ala Divisional Police Headquarters. However, the mob pursued them and launched a violent assault on the police facility.
“The crowd threw stones and other dangerous objects at the station while resisting efforts by police rescue teams to gain access to the area.
Abayomi stated that in response to the violence, tactical and other rescue teams were deployed to restore order, and police operatives successfully rescued the two suspects from the mob.
“However, the patrol team conveying the suspects back to Akure came under attack. During the incident, two police officers sustained gunshot injuries from pellets allegedly fired from a youth pump-action firearm. The injured officers were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention.
Following the attack, operatives of the Command arrested 14 suspects in connection with the assault on the police officers and the attack on the police facility and rescue team.
“Investigations are ongoing to establish the individual roles of those arrested and ensure that anyone found culpable faces the full weight of the law.
“The Command has maintained tactical deployment in the area to prevent any further breakdown of law and order. Normalcy has since returned to the community, while security monitoring continues.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Felix Ohagwu, psc, mnips, mspsp, condemned the attack on police officers and the police facility, describing mob action and attempts to obstruct lawful police operations as unacceptable.
“No individual or group has the right to take the law into their own hands, regardless of the gravity of any alleged crime.”
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