A survivor of the reported deaths of suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State has alleged that the mining site where they worked belonged to former military Head of State, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

The survivor, Malam Babawo Tudun Nasera, made the allegation while recounting the arrest and death of his 17-year-old brother, Salim, who was among the miners detained by NSCDC personnel.

Nasera, in a video seen by SaharaReporters, said the miners were arrested at the mining site and remained in custody for three days before their deaths were discovered.

According to him, authorities wanted the miners to stop working at the site despite what he claimed was an instruction from the alleged owner that mining activities should continue.

“They wanted us to stop working at the site,” Nasera said.

Asked why the authorities wanted the operation halted, he said the owner had directed the miners to continue working.

“They wanted the work to stop, even though the owner of the place had said that we should continue working,” he said.

When asked who owned the site, Nasera replied, “It belongs to Babangida.”

He later clarified that he was referring to retired General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, popularly known as IBB.

Asked whether Babangida had instructed the miners to continue working, Nasera responded, “Yes, he said we should continue working.”

However, it could not be independently established whether Babangida personally owns the mining operation, holds a mining licence or lease over the site, owns the land, or whether Nasera was referring to him in another capacity.

The NSCDC has described the miners as illegal operators, while survivors have maintained that they were working at the site to earn a living.

Nasera said his younger brother, Salim, was 17 years old when he died in custody.

“They killed him. We saw him,” he said.

Asked to identify the deceased, he replied, “His name was Salim. He was 17 years old.”

“We went there looking for food. The mining site was where people went to find something to feed their families. It was hard work.

“Then Civil Defence officers came, arrested them and took them away. What were we supposed to do?

“They kept them in custody for three days. They were all in their custody. We tried to get them released, but they refused and said they would not allow it.”

When asked to confirm the length of their detention, Nasera said, “Yes, they were in their custody. They had been there for three days.”

He also questioned the circumstances surrounding the deaths, saying the detainees had eaten before the bodies were discovered.

“Yesterday, they brought food to them, and they ate. Each of them ate until he was satisfied. But from yesterday morning until today, what happened that made us come and find out that someone had died?” he asked.

Nasera further alleged that the detainees were given what he described as some kind of medicine or substance and were also exposed to extreme heat.

Asked what he believed could have caused the deaths, he said, “If it was not medicine, what else could it have been?”

The allegations regarding the ownership of the mining site and the circumstances surrounding the deaths have not been independently verified.