President Bola Tinubu has called for a thorough and transparent probe into the deaths of suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in Niger State.
He gave instructions that any officials found to have played a part in the deaths should be arrested and brought to justice.
In a statement released on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu described the reported deaths as a serious matter that demands prompt investigation and accountability.
He stated that every Nigerian’s life is valuable and that no citizen should lose their life in government custody because of negligence, abuse, inhumane treatment, or failure to perform one’s duty.
“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,” the president said.
Tinubu stated that the Federal Government would continue to combat illegal mining and other criminal activities but stressed that enforcement operations must comply with the law and respect the rights of people in custody.
“The fact that these individuals were suspected of illegal mining does not in any way remove their right to life, dignity, and humane treatment while in government custody.
“Government will not tolerate mass deaths arising from official negligence, dereliction of duty, or failure by public officials to protect the lives placed under their care,” he said.
The President ordered that the investigation examine the circumstances surrounding the arrests, the state of the detainees at the time they were taken into custody, the conditions in which they were held, how many people were kept at the facility, the medical care that was given, and the events that led to their deaths.
He further cautioned that suspending the officers should not be seen as a replacement for establishing whether criminal responsibility exists.
“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,” Tinubu said.
The President instructed the Ministry of Interior and the NSCDC leadership to give full cooperation to the appropriate investigative bodies and to make sure that no officer obstructed the investigation or hindered efforts to uncover the truth.
The deaths happened after suspected illegal miners were taken into custody during enforcement operations carried out in the Wushishi/Lukoto area of Niger State on September 15 and 16.
Niger State Governor Umar Bago later confirmed that 37 suspected illegal miners had died in NSCDC custody and that forensic examinations, medical examinations, and autopsies were being carried out to determine what caused the deaths.
The NSCDC likewise set up an investigative team to look into the circumstances of the deaths, including how the suspects were when apprehended, how long they were held in custody, the conditions of their detention, and the medical care they received.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, and called for a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
NSCDC probes deaths of suspected illegal miners in Niger
Niger NSCDC commandant suspended over deaths of 33 miners in custody
The Federal Government, through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, likewise stated that no one found culpable would be protected, while warning against jumping to conclusions about the investigation’s outcome.
Former Vice President and 2027 ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakarad similarly called for accountability over the deaths, urging an independent, thorough,, and transparent investigation.
In the meantime, Bago declared a 24-hour curfew in Niger State after protests and property destruction connected to the deaths.
The governor stated that State Transport Company buses, a Sterling Bank branch, political party offices, and private businesses had been vandalized amid the unrest.
Tinubu urged calm among the families and communities touched by the deaths, assuring them that the Federal Government would seek the truth and take appropriate steps grounded in credible evidence.
“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,” he said.
