The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has called for an independent investigation into the reported deaths of 37 young miners in Niger State, warning that the tragedy highlights the human and environmental costs of Nigeria’s reliance on mineral extraction.
The environmental advocacy organisation stated that the deaths—involving young people reportedly aged between 14 and 20—should prompt a broader examination of the economic conditions driving youth into hazardous mining and the environmental toll of the country’s resource-extraction model.
The miners reportedly died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) following security operations targeting suspected illegal mining in the Wushishi-Lukoto area of Niger State.
Although the exact circumstances and causes of death remain under investigation, HOMEF stated that the incident raises critical questions regarding detainee treatment, youth unemployment, livelihood insecurity, and the sustainability of mining operations.
In a statement, HOMEF Executive Director Dr Nnimmo Bassey argued that the tragedy should not be viewed solely as a matter of illegal mining and law enforcement, but as part of a wider crisis driven by destructive extractivism.
“We must stop treating extraction as the pathway to development while ignoring the lives, land, and ecosystems sacrificed in the process,” Bassey said.
He warned against replacing the country’s dependence on oil with mineral extraction without addressing the associated environmental degradation and community displacement.
Bassey specifically cited the Niger Delta as a cautionary example against pursuing mineral wealth at the expense of local communities and their environments. He cautioned that Nigeria risks repeating the mistakes of oil extraction if expanded mining activity is not accompanied by robust environmental protections, community participation, and safeguards for local livelihoods.
“The deaths underscore the urgent need to address the poverty, livelihood insecurity, and economic exclusion that push young people into dangerous, informal mining, while confronting the environmental destruction associated with unregulated extraction,” he added.
The HOMEF director also warned that efforts to curb illegal mining must not simply pave the way for large-scale industrial operations that could inflict further ecological damage. He advocated a shift towards economic activities that restore damaged environments, protect ecosystems, and provide sustainable livelihoods for local communities.
HOMEF urged both the Federal Government and the Niger State Government to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and ensure full accountability for any violations or negligence uncovered.
The organisation also called for measures to address the economic vulnerabilities exposing young people to hazardous mining—particularly poverty, unemployment, and the loss of sustainable livelihoods. Furthermore, it demanded stricter environmental monitoring in mining-affected areas, ecological restoration programmes, and legal measures to hold polluters accountable.
It called for outright restrictions on destructive mining practices in forests, farmlands, water bodies, and other ecologically sensitive areas, adding that affected communities must have a meaningful say in decisions impacting their land and livelihoods.
Finally, HOMEF advocated investment in sustainable, non-extractive economic activities capable of reducing reliance on hazardous mining and strengthening local economies.
The incident has refocused attention on the challenges of regulating informal mining while protecting vulnerable workers. While law enforcement addresses one aspect of the problem, HOMEF maintained that lasting solutions require addressing the economic drivers behind informal sector participation.
The organisation stressed that environmental protection, decent livelihoods, and public accountability must be core components of any strategy managing Nigeria’s mineral wealth, concluding that economic growth cannot be measured solely by the volume of extracted resources when human lives and local ecosystems are at stake.
