The Niger State Government has allocated N50 million in compensation for the families of those affected by the collapsed mining pit in Galadima Kogo, Shiroro Local Government Area. This decision comes after a week of demands and threats of legal action from the victims’ families against both the state government and the mine’s owner, African Minerals and Logistics Limited.
Governor Mohammed Bago’s administration has formed a 13-man relief committee to manage the distribution of the funds. The committee, chaired by the Permanent Secretary General Services, Abubakar Sadik Idris, is tasked with identifying the victims who died, their next of kin, those who were wounded, and those who provided rescue operations for compensation.
The terms of reference of the committee also include determining the mode of payment and submitting a report to the state government within three weeks. The Secretary to the Niger State Government, Abubakar Usman Gurara, stated that the N50 million has already been deposited in a designated bank account, awaiting the committee’s template for disbursement to the beneficiaries.
The district head of Galadima Kogo, Umar Aliyu, revealed that a total of 14 persons died, with 10 bodies recovered initially, eight persons rescued, and several others injured. The Senate has also called on the federal government to deploy security agencies to mining communities across the country to maintain vigilance around areas prone to illegal mining activities