The All Progressives Congress (APC) has donated N52 million to the families of 37 artisanal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State and survivors of the incident.
The APC National Chairman, Mr Nentawe Yilwatda, announced the donation when he led members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) on a sympathy visit to the state in Minna.
Yilwatda said N1 million would be given to each of the families of the 37 deceased miners, amounting to N37 million, to help cushion the impact of the tragedy on their loved ones.
He added that N500,000 would be given to each of the artisanal miners who survived the incident, bringing the total support package to N52 million.
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The APC chairman expressed sympathy with the families of the deceased, describing the incident as unfortunate and painful.
He said the financial assistance was intended to provide relief to the affected families and survivors as they dealt with the consequences of the incident.
Yilwatda also commended the Niger State Government for its response to the tragedy and called for continued efforts to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Responding, the state governor, Umaru Bago, thanked the APC National Chairman and members of the NWC for supporting the affected families.
Bago said the visit “speaks volumes,” adding that the gesture demonstrated the party’s concern for the state at a difficult time.
The governor confirmed that the N52 million would be distributed through the committee headed by the deputy governor in collaboration with the Minna Emirate.