Michael Olugbode in Abuja
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, as the unfolding tragedy raises urgent questions about detention conditions, the treatment of suspects and accountability within the security system.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said he had ordered the suspension of the Niger State Commandant of the Corps and officers on duty during the arrests and detention, while inaugurating a 10-member investigative committee to establish what happened to the detainees.
The committee has been given two weeks to complete its assignment and submit its findings to the minister.
The reported deaths occurred after security operatives arrested suspected illegal miners during operations in the Wushishi-Lukoto area of Niger State on September 15 and 16. The victims were reportedly found dead while in NSCDC custody on September 17.
In his address at the committee’s inauguration, Tunji-Ojo said the Federal Government owed Nigerians the truth, stressing 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, chaired by retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, is expected to reconstruct the events leading to the deaths and determine whether there were failures in the handling of the detainees.
Its membership includes former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, who will serve as secretary; retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police Hosea Hassan Karma; and Prof. Olayinka Buhari, a histopathology professor and former Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital.
Other members are representatives of the Minna Emirate Council and Niger State Government; the 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’s terms of reference include establishing the identities of the deceased, documenting the circumstances of their arrest and detention, and determining the cause and manner of death 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 against 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 also directed NSCDC leadership and relevant personnel to cooperate fully, warning that any attempt to destroy evidence, intimidate witnesses or obstruct the inquiry would be treated as a serious offence.
The investigation comes amid competing accounts of what caused the deaths.
Initial explanations attributed the incident to a suspected disease outbreak, while reports citing intelligence findings raised concerns about overcrowding and poor ventilation at the detention facility.
More recently, survivors have alleged that detainees struggled to breathe after guards allegedly sprayed an unidentified substance into an overcrowded cell and left its doors locked.
These accounts have been reported by Reuters and other media outlets, but the allegations have not been established as findings of an independent investigation.
The conflicting explanations make the committee’s medical and forensic mandate particularly significant. Establishing the precise cause of death will be central to determining whether the tragedy resulted from illness, environmental conditions, alleged mistreatment or a combination of factors.
The inquiry will also need to establish what officials knew about the detainees’ condition, whether assistance was sought or provided, and whether the detention arrangements complied with applicable procedures.
The suspension of the Niger State Commandant and officers who handled arrest, investigation, legal, station and guard duties between September 15 and 17 represents the government’s immediate administrative response.
However, the minister’s announcement makes clear that the suspensions are pending the outcome of the investigation and do not, in themselves, establish individual culpability.
The Nigeria Labour Congress, in a statement issued on September 21, welcomed the suspension of personnel but stressed that the measure must not replace accountability and justice. The labour body also called attention to child labour, poverty and unemployment as wider concerns associated with the circumstances of young people involved in informal mining.
The deaths have triggered protests in Minna, with demonstrations reportedly escalating into clashes with security personnel and prompting the imposition of a curfew. Reuters reported that at least one protester was killed during the unrest.
The public reaction has intensified demands for answers, particularly from families seeking to establish how their relatives died and whether anyone should be held responsible.
The investigation is therefore taking place against a backdrop of grief, public anger and pressure on authorities to provide credible findings.
The arrests occurred in a region where artisanal gold mining forms part of the local economic landscape. Niger State’s mineral resources have attracted small-scale mining activity, while enforcement operations against illegal extraction have brought security agencies into contact with informal miners.
The reported ages of the deceased have added another dimension to the tragedy. The Nigeria Labour Congress said many of those who died were young people, including minors, and called for urgent action addressing child labour, poverty and unemployment.
The committee’s work could therefore have implications beyond the individual incident, particularly if its findings identify deficiencies in arrest procedures, detention management, medical oversight or supervision of personnel.
Families await answers
For the families of the deceased, the central questions remain unresolved: how their relatives died, whether their deaths could have been prevented, and whether those responsible for any wrongdoing will face consequences.
Tunji-Ojo has however appealed to the families to remain calm and patient, assuring them that the government would not abandon them.
The minister said the committee would have the government’s full support and urged its members to discharge their responsibilities with integrity.
With a two-week deadline, the panel is expected to establish the facts surrounding one of the most troubling recent incidents involving detainees in Niger State.
Meanwhile the Chairman of the panel; Jonathan Kure: in his response said: “This is a privilege and we do not see it as an appointment but a call to national service. 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 promised that: “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. We will come back with our reoort and our integrity intact. We must give hope to this country.”