Janruwa Killings: Miners knock FG for insecurity in mining sector, says safer mining sites necessary for economic diversification

The Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) has commiserated with the families of 14 villagers, most of who are miners, killed in an unprovoked attack in Janruwa village, Kaduna State, on Saturday 28th April, 2018. The association prayed for the repose of their souls and for the fortitude to bear the loss.

The association cited the incidence as one which exposes the unsafe state of some mining locations in the country, and called on the Federal Government to rise up to the responsibility of ensuring that mining sites are safe.

According to the association, set goals such as the economic diversification agenda can hardly be realised unless mining locations are safe.

National President and Secretary-General of the Association, Alh Sani Shehu and Comr Dele Ayanleke respectively, who jointly made the point, condemned the killings saying: “The Miners Association of Nigeria condemns in its entirety, this dastardly unprovoked attack on harmless citizens who are eking out their living for sustenance from God’s endowment in the locality.”

The association urged government to demonstrate commitment to the development of the mining sector by ensuring justice for the diseased through apprehending the culprits and bringing them to justice.

While saying that a stitch in time saves nine, the association further called on government to urgently put in place measures that will establish safety of miners-in-location across the country.

“This call becomes necessary and urgent because of the recurring incidences of unwarranted attacks on miners in the country,” they said, and warned that if the situation is left unchecked, the nation risks having to deal with an aggravated situation of socio-economic and security challenges.”

“The Miners Association of Nigeria hereby calls on Federal and State Governments to activate their relevant agencies to demonstrate their commitments to the mining sector as a pivot of the economic diversification policy by beefing up the security apparatus of our mining sites to protect the vulnerable miners and other dwellers of the mining communities.”

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