The Federal Government has inaugurated an independent investigation into the reported deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State, with Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo declaring that Nigerians deserve to know the truth about the incident.
Tunji-Ojo, who inaugurated a 10-member investigative committee, said he had ordered the suspension of the NSCDC Niger State Commandant and officers who were on duty during the arrests and detention of the deceased.
The committee has been given two weeks to establish what happened and submit its findings to the minister.
The reported deaths followed the arrest of suspected illegal miners during security operations in the Wushishi-Lukoto area of Niger State on September 15 and 16. The detainees were reportedly found dead while in NSCDC custody on September 17.
Speaking at the committee’s inauguration, Tunji-Ojo said the Federal Government owed Nigerians the truth and stressed that no officer would be protected if found culpable.
“No life should be lost in the custody of the State,” the minister said, describing the incident as deeply disturbing and extending condolences to the bereaved families, the Niger State Government and Nigerians affected by the tragedy.
The investigative panel is chaired by retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, while former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, will serve as secretary.
Other members include retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police Hosea Hassan Karma; Prof. Olayinka Buhari, a histopathology professor and former Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital; representatives of the Minna Emirate Council and Niger State Government; National Secretary of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Liman Sulaiman; lawyer and human rights activist Deji Adeyanju; Blueprint Newspaper’s Zainab Suleiman Okino; and public affairs analyst George Agbakahi.
The committee is mandated to establish the identities of the deceased, document the circumstances surrounding their arrest and detention, and determine the cause and manner of their deaths through appropriate medical and forensic examinations.
It is also expected to investigate possible negligence, misconduct, complicity or breaches of duty and recommend disciplinary measures, compensation where applicable, and safeguards to prevent a recurrence.
Tunji-Ojo said the panel had been authorised to access relevant facilities and documents, visit locations connected to the incident, conduct forensic examinations, co-opt experts and receive memoranda from members of the public.
He directed the NSCDC leadership and other relevant personnel to cooperate fully with the investigation, warning that attempts to destroy evidence, intimidate witnesses or obstruct the inquiry would be treated as serious offences.
The investigation follows conflicting accounts of what caused the deaths. Initial explanations reportedly attributed the incident to a suspected disease outbreak, while other reports raised concerns about overcrowding and poor ventilation at the detention facility.
Survivors have also alleged that detainees struggled to breathe after guards sprayed an unidentified substance into an overcrowded cell and kept its doors locked. The allegations have been reported by international and local media but have not been established as findings of an independent investigation.
The competing accounts place particular significance on the panel’s medical and forensic mandate, with determining the precise cause of death expected to be central to establishing whether the incident resulted from illness, detention conditions, alleged mistreatment or a combination of factors.
The inquiry is also expected to establish what officials knew about the detainees’ condition, whether medical assistance was sought or provided and whether the detention arrangements complied with applicable procedures.
The suspension of the Niger State Commandant and officers involved in arrest, investigation, legal, station and guard duties between September 15 and 17 remains an administrative measure pending the investigation and does not establish individual culpability.
The Nigeria Labour Congress welcomed the suspension of personnel in a September 21 statement but said the measure should not substitute for accountability and justice. It also raised concerns about child labour, poverty and unemployment surrounding the involvement of young people in informal mining.
The deaths have also triggered protests in Minna, adding to public pressure for authorities to establish how the detainees died and whether anyone should be held responsible.
Tunji-Ojo appealed to the families of the deceased to remain calm and patient, assuring them that the government would support the investigation and would not abandon those affected.
Responding after the panel’s inauguration, Kure described the assignment as a call to national service and pledged that the committee would approach its work independently.
“This is a privilege and we do not see it as an appointment but a call to national service,” Kure said.
“Some of us have had the opportunity to serve this nation for 35 years and even in retirement, we are always willing to answer this type of call on the premise that my name, my integrity will not in any way be toyed with.”
He pledged that the committee would conduct its investigation with an open mind and without being influenced by public sentiment.
“We shall ensure justice by going to the field with open minds. We want to give this assurance to Nigerians. We are not swayed by sentiments or media hypes that might have been given,” Kure said.
“We will come back with our report and our integrity intact. We must give hope to this country.”
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
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