The parents of miners who lost their lives while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, Niger State, are asking for compensation on behalf of the grieving families.
According to them, such compensation would act as a deterrent to abuse of power and help guarantee accountability among law enforcement officers.
Mr. Musa Aliyu, 50, one of the parents, who had been sick for the past year, lost two of his children, Ibrahim, 17, and Abubakar, 12, in the incident.
Aliyu, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday, said his late sons were his main source of support, especially in paying for his medications.
He stated that the children left home peacefully on Wednesday for the mining site at Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Housing Estate but did not return home that evening.
“My wife was later informed that some miners had been arrested, so she went to the Civil Defence office near the PDP Secretariat.
“When she got there, she met a crowd of relatives who had also gone in search of their children.
“She was informed that our children were dead, and we were asked to go to the General Hospital to identify and claim their bodies.
“These children helped me sustain my medication. They contributed money to buy drugs for me.
“I leave whoever is responsible for the death of my children to Allah. I believe they were killed,” he said, struggling to control his tears.
Another parent, Mr. Lawal Mohammad, stated that he lost his 15-year-old son, Suleiman, in the incident.
Mohammad told the press that he attempted to take food to his son on the day of the arrest but was denied access to him by NSCDC personnel.
“We went to the Civil Defence office on Wednesday night and were asked to return the following day.
“We went back on Thursday morning to give him food, but we were told that he was dead.
“I was at the Civil Defence office when the bodies were brought out and loaded into ambulances.
“I am in pain, and I cannot forgive this. Those responsible should be made to pay compensation so as to serve as a lesson to others who abuse power.”
Mohammad, who likewise found it hard to hold back his tears, said his son turned to artisanal mining as a way to make a living and support the family.
He called on the relevant authorities to carry out a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the deaths and to make sure that anyone found responsible was held accountable.
