Having demonstrated commendable commitments to unravel the circumstances surrounding the recent deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, Niger State, the federal government should not hesitate to impose maximum punishment on indicted operatives to serve as a deterrent to notorious security and law enforcement personnel who subject Nigerians to untimely deaths, Ejiofor Alike reports
The acts of impunity and lawlessness that characterise the operations of some Nigerian security and law enforcement operatives assumed a frightening dimension recently when 37 suspected illegal miners were suffocated to death under curious circumstances in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.
It is heart-rending to note that due to the near collapse of responsible governance, which has fuelled lack of accountability in relevant government quarters, many Nigerians have continued to die as a result of operational lapses, torture and extrajudicial killing by some rogue elements in the security agencies.
The recent death of the 37 suspected illegal miners was another of such sad reminder of the impunity and lawlessness of many security operatives.
The Niger State Command of the NSCDC had claimed that it conducted a “burst operation” on September 15 and 16, 2026, leading to the arrest of those it described as suspected illegal miners and the recovery of exhibits.
According to the agency, scores of suspected illegal miners were arrested and various exhibits recovered.
Unfortunately, in the early hours of September 17, 2026, scores of the detained suspects were found dead inside the overcrowded NSCDC cell.
In a most brazen attempt to cover the atrocities committed under his watch, the suspended Niger State Commandant of the NSCDC, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, had hurriedly claimed in a statement that the victims died as a result of “outbreak of disease.”
But in another breath, he curiously added that the corpses of the deceased suspects had since been deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for “further medical examination to establish the actual cause of death.”
Many considered it as most scandalous for Aniviye and his lawless officials to attribute the deaths to the outbreak of a disease when the actual cause was yet to be established.
Survivors of this heinous crime have since exposed NSCDC’s barefaced lies as they recounted how about 48 of them were locked inside a small cell and unidentified substance sprayed on them, forcing them to fall on the floor and struggle to breathe.
Recounting his experience, one of the survivors told Niger State Governor Umar Bago, that an unidentified substance was sprayed inside the cell.
“As they were about to lock the room, they sprayed something that looked like perfume, and the smell started disturbing everyone in the room,” he said.
The survivor said the detainees subsequently began falling as the room became increasingly hot.
He said the detainees pleaded for water but were ignored.
Another survivor told the governor that he made it out alive because he was near the cell entrance where he could breathe better.
“We were screaming for help,” he said, adding that guards were told that “people are dying one after the other; they did not believe us,” he added.
In a reaction, protesters took over the streets in Tunga, Maitumbi, Bosso Road and other parts of Minna, destroying campaign posters and some government property.
Security operatives responded with their characteristic impunity as Amnesty International alleged the use of lethal force against the protesters
In a statement, the rights organisation said some protesters were shot and left with severe injuries, while at least two persons were reportedly killed during the demonstrations.
Former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.) also expressed outrage and called for a thorough investigation.
The Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua, in a statement, demanded that anyone found culpable of criminal negligence, unlawful detention, reckless conduct or any deliberate act that contributed to the deaths should be prosecuted, irrespective of rank or position.
Similarly, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya (SAN) also called for investigation of those who may have owned, financed, controlled or profited from the illegal mining activities.
Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr Tony Ojukwu, also condemned the incident, and urged that the investigations already ordered by the federal government must be conducted transparently, thoroughly and in accordance with international standards governing investigations into potentially unlawful deaths.
Following the protests that erupted, Niger State Governor, Bago, imposed a 24-hour curfew in the state.
Bago said the decision was necessary to restore calm after the protesters allegedly vandalised all the buses in the State Transport Company, one of the branches of a new generation bank, offices of political parties and private businesses.
The attempt by the NSCDC to investigate itself failed as President Bola Tinubu promptly ordered a complete and open investigation into the deaths, stressing that the life of every Nigerian matters.
Tinubu said no citizen should die while being held by government officials because of carelessness, mistreatment, unfair treatment or failure to do their job.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the President said “the fact that these people were suspected of illegal mining does not take away their right to live, the right to be treated with respect, and receive humane treatment while they are in government care.
“If the investigation shows that any official, by their actions, abuse of power, or failure to do their job, was involved in causing these deaths, that person should be arrested and taken to court according to the law. There must be accountability,” Tinubu insisted.
Following Tinubu’s directive, the federal government constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the incident.
In a statement issued, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, also released the names of the 21 NSCDC officers suspended in connection with the incident.
The minister also warned that “any attempt to destroy or conceal evidence, intimidate witnesses or obstruct the investigation will be treated as a serious offence”.
Indeed, the federal government has shown reasonable and commendable commitment to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident and bring the culprits to justice.
However, given the circumstances surrounding the investigations of similar previous incidents, many fear that the issue will fizzle out as soon as the noise of the outrage dies down.
While the federal government should be commended on its commitment to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident, the authorities should not hesitate to impose maximum punishment on indicted NSCDC officials to serve as deterrent to notorious military, police, customs and other security and law enforcement personnel, who subject Nigerians to untimely deaths.
As rightly pointed out by the NBA, “the true measure of the response will ultimately not be the speed with which investigations are announced, but rather the independence and thoroughness with which they are conducted, the transparency with which their findings are made known, and the accountability that follows from those findings.”
Nigerians are watching.