The mother of Yazid, a teenage artisanal miner from Niger State whose video from a mining site recently went viral, has spoken publicly about her son’s involvement in mining, saying she was often unaware when he went to mining locations because of concerns over insecurity and arrests by security personnel.
The mother made the disclosure in an interview with News Central TV, according to a report published by Northern Nigeria Hub on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
She said she initially felt distressed after seeing her son trending online, although she later expressed appreciation for the public support he received.
According to her, she did not usually know when Yazid went to mining sites because she was concerned about the possibility of miners being arrested by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
She said her son engaged in mining partly to support himself and contribute to the family’s livelihood.
The mother also said she became worried when she heard about the deaths of miners who had been detained by the NSCDC in Niger State, fearing that her son could have been among those affected.
Yazid, who has also been identified in the report as Yusuf Aliyu, briefly thanked Nigerians for the support he received following the circulation of his video.
The teenager reportedly attracted public attention after appearing in a video recorded at a mining site in the Wushishi-Lukoto axis on September 20.
In a subsequent interview with News Central TV, Yazid disputed reported explanations surrounding the deaths of miners in NSCDC custody and gave his account of events surrounding the arrests at the mining site. His claims have not been independently established and remain part of broader investigations into the incident.
The reported deaths involved 37 suspected artisanal miners who died while in NSCDC custody in Niger State. The Federal Government has ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The NSCDC has also placed personnel linked to the incident in protective custody as investigations continue. Recent reports indicate that the number of affected officers in custody had risen to 24.
The case has drawn public attention to the circumstances surrounding artisanal mining, the involvement of young people in the activity and the need to establish what happened to the miners who died in custody.
Yazid’s mother’s account adds a family perspective to the ongoing controversy, particularly regarding the economic pressures that she says contributed to her son’s decision to engage in mining.
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Human Interest