Babangida Denies Ownership of Minna Mining Site, Calls for Probe Into Miners’ Deaths

Former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (retd.), has denied reports linking him to a gold-mining site in Minna, Niger State, where 37 suspected illegal miners were arrested before their deaths in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Babangida, through his representative, Dr Danladi Umar Abdulhameed, described the claim that he owned the mining site as false, baseless and without foundation, insisting that he had no connection with the mining operation.

The denial followed a report quoting a survivor of the incident, Malam Babawo Tudun Nasera, who identified Babangida as the alleged owner of the site where the miners were working.

Babangida also condemned the deaths of the 37 miners and called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The deaths have sparked calls for an independent investigation, with President Bola Tinubu directing the Federal Government to conduct a full and transparent probe. The government has since constituted a 10-member committee to investigate the incident.

Authorities have said the actual cause of death is yet to be conclusively established, with autopsies and medical examinations being conducted. Survivors have given accounts alleging overcrowding and poor ventilation in the detention facility, while the NSCDC initially cited a suspected disease outbreak.