Pascal Arogorn Ibe
A Chinese expatriate , identified as Kuang Zhang, and a Hausa miner, Musa Abdullahi , have lost their lives following a fight at a mining site in Idoko village, in the Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State . It was learnt that the incident happened around 4. 30pm on Tuesday when a fight broke out between some Hausa labourers and Chinese miners.
A security source told our correspondent 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.
He added that one of the shots , however , hit a Hausa miner and killed him on the spot, while one other was injured .
“ The Chinese men , who were already scared, ran into the bush . But the 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 , ” he added .
The state Police Public Relations Officer , Yemisi Opalola, who confirmed the incident, said the police had restored normalcy in the area .
Opalola 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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