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The people of Udege Mbeki community for Nasarawa State dey cry now because two small children, Umar Muhammad (7 years) and Ibrahim Muhammad (9 years), drown inside one big hole wey Kenyang Mining Company Limited, a company from China, leave after dem finish dig ground.
The place wey dem dig, people dey call am paddock, e full of water because heavy rain fall recently, and e turn to something wey kill those two innocent boys.
Barrister Dauda Yahaya Kana, who be the Chairman of Afo Youth Mobility (AYM), talk say the bad thing happen on Thursday. He say the boys follow their cousin go the place where she wan wash clothes.
Kana say his heart dey break for the incident. He blame Kenyang Mining Company say dem no fix the land wey dey 50 meters from where dem dig, even after many years of digging for the area. He say na the company no do well, and that's why the place become dangerous and cause the children to die.
Kana explain say because of this, Afo Youth Mobility (wey dem register as Afo Youth Mentorship Initiative) and nine other people carry the company go Nasarawa State High Court. Dem want the court to help them understand the agreement (Community Development Agreement - CDA) wey the Udege community and the mining company sign on September 26, 2021.
He say the court for Keffi, under Judge Rose G. Soji, even tell the company on November 19, 2024, say make dem stop all mining work and stop disturbing the community until dem settle the problem.
Later, the community and the company agree to settle things outside the court, and on March 4, 2025, the court give judgment based on wetin dem agree. Some of the things dem agree on be:
The company go bring a good plan within one year after dem dig more ground, to fix the 50-meter land.
Dem go start to fix the land as soon as government say okay.
Dem go stop digging for one place dem call Millionaire’s Quarters within four years.
Dem go build strong fence to separate the mining area from where people dey live, with a space of 40 meters in between.
Dem go fix the road from Udege Mbeki go Gada Hudu and give the community important things like clean water, light, hospital, school, and police station for the new place dem go move to.
Kana say, “The happiness wey the judgment bring don turn to sadness now. This terrible loss show say the company need to start fixing those abandoned holes quickly before more people die.”
He warn say Afo Youth Mobility go go back to court to force the company to do wetin dem promise if the company no do their own part.
Kana also beg Nasarawa State Government to watch the mining companies well and make sure dem follow the Mining Law. He say dem must hold the mining companies responsible for the safety and health of the communities where dem dey work.
Dem don bury the two children already according to Islamic way for Udege Mbeki, a community where people speak Afo language.