The family of six-year-old Kao, a Fulani herder's child killed by a stone during blasting at a quarry in Aco Estate, Abuja, received N4 million in compensation from Dai Jin Investment Limited, a Chinese company operating the site. Murtala Maiangwa, leader of the Fulani Community in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), confirmed the payment, stating the company also gave N300,000 to the community. The boy died on 27 February at about 2 p.m. while playing under a mango tree near the quarry when a stone struck his head, causing fatal injuries. Abubakar, a relative, said the blast occurred without warning, and the family has since left the area due to emotional distress.
Residents expressed ongoing safety fears, with one woman saying another child narrowly survived the same incident. The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) sealed the quarry after the incident, and the FCT Police began an investigation. However, by 4 March, operations had resumed despite residents' protests and claims of unlicensed activity. An unnamed Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) official said Dai Jin had not been licensed to operate, while FCTA staff declined to comment, citing fear of reprisal from Minister Nyesom Wike. Attempts to reach company officials were unsuccessful, with one Chinese man named Sunday declining to speak.
Dai Jin Investment Limited paid compensation but kept operating despite reportedly having no license, raising questions about who allowed the resumption. The family of Kao left Aco Estate because the pain was too great, while other residents remain exposed to the same danger. If the company was never licensed, then its continued presence points to a failure of enforcement at the highest level. The unlicensed operation and delayed closure suggest oversight bodies are either unaware or unwilling to act.
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