Former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, has denied owning the mining site in Minna, Niger State, where 37 suspected illegal miners reportedly died.
Babangida, in a statement made available to journalists in Minna on Saturday and signed on his behalf by Tambari Kagara, described reports linking him to ownership of the mining site as “totally false and without foundation.”
He called for the correction of what he described as a false impression created by the publication.
The statement noted that Babangida, the Madakin Minna, had lived closely and peacefully with his people since his retirement in 1993.
“At 85, what he requires is prayers, not blackmail,” the statement added.
Babangida had earlier condemned the deaths of the miners, describing the incident as both “tragic” and “deeply disturbing.”
Meanwhile, former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has called for an in-depth investigation into the incident to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and ensure that measures are put in place to prevent a recurrence.
Abdulsalami described the deaths of the 37 young people as a painful loss to their families, communities, Niger State and Nigeria.
He extended his condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for strength for those affected by the tragedy.
The former Head of State also urged relevant government agencies and other stakeholders to strengthen safety measures at mining sites, particularly to protect young people whose livelihoods depend on mining and other economic activities.
He further appealed for calm in the affected communities and called on authorities to provide the necessary support to the victims’ families.
