Mining Site Dispute Causes Death of Chinese, Hausa Miners in Osun
A dispute between some Chinese and Hausa miners resulted into the death of a Chinese expatriate, Kuang Zhang, and a Hausa miner, Musa Abdullahi, on Tuesday at a mining site in Idoko village, Obokun local government area of Osun State.
Nigerian Sketch gathered that some riot policemen and operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, who escorted two Chinese expatriates to the mining site, had shot into the air to scare away the Hausa miners, but hit two of them, killing one instantly and injuring the other.
It was not clear as of the time this story was published if the miners involved in the dispute were legally permitted to mine at the site.
“The Chinese men, who were already scared, ran into the bush. But the Hausa miners seized and beat them to a pulp before more security men deployed arrived in the area rescued them. I learnt one of the two expatriates died before reaching hospital,” the daily reported an eye witness to have said.
The police confirmed the incident and said normalcy has been restored in the area.
The police spokesman in the state said some Hausa miners were already at the mining site when the two Chinese expatriates, escorted by riot policemen and some NSCDC operatives, arrived at the scene and ordered the workers to leave.
She said the Chinese claimed that the Federal Government and the Osun State Government had awarded them a licence to work in the area.
“But the Hausa miners refused to vacate the premises and fighting ensued. One Abdulhahi Musa was shot dead and a Chinese, Kuang Zhang, was also killed. The corpses were deposited at the morgue of the Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa,” she added.
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