By Amofokhai Williams
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a full and transparent investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.
The victims were among scores of people arrested during NSCDC enforcement operations around the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Minna on September 15 and 16 as part of efforts to curb illegal mining in the state.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has confirmed the death toll.
Tinubu, in a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described the deaths as a grave matter requiring urgent investigation and accountability.
The President said the life of every Nigerian mattered and that no citizen should lose his life while in government custody as a result of negligence, abuse, inhumane treatment or dereliction of duty.
“While the Federal Government would continue to combat illegal mining and other criminal activities across the country, enforcement operations must be conducted strictly within the law and with full respect for the dignity and fundamental rights of every person in custody,” Tinubu said.
He stressed that the suspects’ alleged involvement in illegal mining did not remove their right to life, dignity and humane treatment while in detention.
The President warned that the government would not tolerate mass deaths arising from official negligence or failure by public officials to protect people placed under their care.
“Where the investigation establishes that any official, through action, abuse or negligence, contributed to these deaths, such an officer must be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law. There must be accountability,” he said.
Tinubu directed the relevant authorities to establish the circumstances surrounding the arrests and the deaths, including the condition of the detainees when they were taken into custody, the conditions in which they were held, the number of people detained at the facility and the medical attention provided.
The investigation is also expected to establish what happened inside the detention facility before the deaths occurred.
The precise cause of the deaths has not yet been conclusively established. The NSCDC initially referred to a suspected disease outbreak, while authorities have said medical examinations and autopsies are required to determine the scientific cause.
Reports have also raised questions about overcrowding and poor ventilation in the detention facility.
Tinubu, therefore, cautioned against treating the suspension of officers as the end of the matter, stressing that administrative action must not prevent the determination of criminal responsibility where evidence warrants prosecution.
“The suspension of officers is only an administrative step and must not substitute for a proper determination of criminal responsibility where the evidence warrants prosecution,” he said.
The Federal Government had already ordered the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, to step aside pending investigation, while other senior officers were directed to appear before the investigative panel.
A new commandant was also ordered to assume control of the state command.
The Niger State Government has separately constituted a committee of inquiry and ordered forensic and medical examinations, including autopsies, to establish the cause of the deaths. Governor Bago also declared three days of mourning over the tragedy.
The deaths have triggered public concern and protests in Minna, with authorities appealing for calm while investigations continue.
Tinubu directed the Ministry of Interior and NSCDC leadership to cooperate fully with all investigative authorities and ensure that no official interferes with the process or attempts to frustrate efforts to establish the truth.
He extended his condolences to the families of the deceased and appealed to affected families and communities to remain calm.
“We must never allow the pursuit of one form of illegality to create another. The government must enforce the law firmly, but it must also obey the law. The sanctity of human life is non-negotiable,” the President said.
