Former military Head of State, retired General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), has denied any connection to the gold-mining site in Niger State where 37 suspected illegal miners were arrested before they died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Babangida, through his representative, Dr Danladi Umar Abdulhameed, rejected a report linking him to the mining operation, describing the allegation as false, baseless and without foundation.
The denial followed a report by SaharaReporters in which a survivor, Malam Babawo Tudun Nasera, identified Babangida as the alleged owner of the mining site.
Nasera made the claim while recounting the arrest of the miners, including his 17-year-old brother, Salim, who was among those detained by NSCDC officers.
According to reports, Nasera said security officials ordered the miners to stop working at the site despite an alleged instruction from the person he identified as the owner to continue mining.
When asked who owned the site, Nasera reportedly replied that it belonged to “Babangida” and later clarified that he was referring to retired General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. He also claimed that Babangida had instructed the miners to continue working.
However, the ownership claim has not been independently established. It is also unclear from the available reports whether the alleged reference was to ownership of the land, a mining operation, a mining lease or another form of association with the site.
IBB Rejects Allegation
Responding to the report, Abdulhameed said Babangida had no connection whatsoever with the mining operation.
“My attention has been drawn to a publication on your platform alleging that the mining site where illegal miners were arrested belongs to General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, GCFR.
“This allegation is false, baseless and completely without foundation,” the statement said.
Abdulhameed further demanded that the report be corrected, insisting that the former Head of State had no involvement in the mining operation.
“We categorically reject the publication and demand that the false impression created by it be corrected. General Babangida has no connection whatsoever with the mining operation in question,” he said.
He also urged members of the public to disregard the allegation.
“We urge members of the public to disregard the report and the unfounded allegation contained in it,” Abdulhameed added.
Controversy Follows Deaths of 37 Detainees
The dispute over the alleged ownership of the mining site comes amid an investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in NSCDC custody in Niger State.
The incident has generated public outrage, with survivors and other accounts raising questions about the conditions in which the detainees were held. Authorities have announced investigations into the deaths, while the circumstances surrounding the fatalities remain under scrutiny.
For now, the allegation linking Babangida to the mining site remains disputed, with the survivor making the claim and Babangida, through his representative, categorically denying any connection to the operation.