Niger State Governor Umaru Bago has declared a 24-hour curfew in Minna, the state capital, after unrest was reported in parts of the city.
The curfew takes effect immediately after the Friday Jumu’ah prayers and will remain in force until further notice.
Residents were urged to remain indoors and avoid all unnecessary movements during the period of the curfew.
Security agencies have also been urged to enforce the directive and ensure the protection of lives and property across the metropolis.
The development follows Thursday’s protest and unrest linked to the deaths of suspected illegal miners who reportedly died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in Minna.
Similarly, the governor said the state government had constituted a committee of inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
According to him, the NSCDC commandant in Niger State and his team have been suspended to allow for a proper investigation into the incident.
“The most important is that people died in the custody of the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps. They were detained in their cells, and this morning we woke up to the news that 37 of them had died,” Bago said.
The governor said the cause of the deaths had not been officially established, adding that it was too early to conclude.
He said possible causes being investigated included suffocation arising from overcrowding in the detention cell and exposure to hazardous chemicals associated with illegal mining.
“It could be as a result of suffocation because there were so many in a cell. The second issue could be because of exposure to maybe lead poisoning or other very hazardous chemicals that are used to do the illegal mining,” he said.
Bago said forensic examinations, medical examinations and autopsies were being conducted to establish the scientific cause of the deaths.
He also disclosed that committees constituted by the NSCDC, the Inspector General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services were investigating the incident alongside the committee set up by the state government.
The governor said reports that some of the deceased had peeling skin and were foaming at the mouth with blood were among the issues being examined by investigators.
However, he cautioned against concluding until the forensic and medical investigations are completed.
Bago also announced the closure of the illegal mining site in the MiOshishi area, saying mining activities there had been conducted without appropriate technology and safety equipment.
He appealed for calm following the movement of the bodies to the mortuary, which he said triggered emotional reactions and violence among some youths.
Interior Minister Orders Probe
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Friday ordered a full-scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.
The minister also directed the NSCDC Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, to conduct a “full-scale, transparent and unhindered investigation” into the incident.
Following the directive, Audi ordered the Niger State Commandant to step aside with immediate effect and report to the NSCDC National Headquarters in Abuja to appear before the panel of inquiry constituted to investigate the incident.
The state commandant was to be accompanied by the Heads of Operations, Mining, Legal, Intelligence and Investigation, who had also been directed to report to the panel.
Audi also ordered a new commandant to proceed to Niger State and assume immediate command of the state command.
In a statement signed by the NSCDC National Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, the corps said the investigation would be conducted thoroughly and that personnel found to have breached the law or established professional standards would face appropriate sanctions.
FG Condoles Families Of Deceased Miners
The Federal Government expressed condolences to the government and people of Niger State over the deaths of persons arrested during enforcement operations against suspected illegal mining activities in the Wushishi/Lukoto axis of the state.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, conveyed the Federal Government’s condolences to Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, the traditional leadership and people of Wushishi, as well as the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives.
Idris said the Federal Government regarded the protection of the lives, dignity and fundamental rights of Nigerians as a solemn responsibility, stressing that the circumstances surrounding the deaths required a thorough, transparent and impartial investigation.
The minister assured the families of the deceased and the people of Niger State that the Federal Government shared in their grief and remained committed to establishing the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
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