- Demands Transparent, Unhindered Investigation
- Vows To Prosecute Culpable Officers
- How 37 Miners Died In Custody- Niger Govt
- Victims’ Families Deserve Truth, Not Condolences— Atiku
- Obi: People Can’t Enter Govt Custody Alive, Emerge Dead
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a full, transparent and unhindered investigation into the deaths of suspected illegal miners detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) following enforcement operations around the Lt. Gen. Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna, Niger State.
Tinubu, who expressed deep concern over the reported deaths, declared that no Nigerian should die in government custody because of negligence, abuse, inhumane treatment or dereliction of duty.
In a statement he personally signed, Tinubu said the circumstances surrounding the deaths must be established urgently, stressing that the Federal Government would not shield any official found culpable.
“The life of every Nigerian matters. No citizen should lose their life while in government custody as a result of negligence, abuse, inhumane treatment or dereliction of duty,” the President said.»
The directive comes amid concerns over the circumstances in which the suspected illegal miners died while in NSCDC custody.
Tinubu said the fact that the deceased were suspected of illegal mining did not strip them of their fundamental rights, insisting that enforcement of the law must not be accompanied by violations of the law.
“The fact that these individuals were suspected of illegal mining does not remove their right to life, dignity and humane treatment,” he said.»
‘Culpable Officers Must Be Prosecuted’
The President ordered investigators to establish the circumstances surrounding the arrests, the condition of the detainees when they were taken into custody, the conditions under which they were held and the number of people detained at the facility.
He also directed investigators to determine the medical attention provided to the detainees and the events that ultimately led to their deaths.
Tinubu warned that officers whose actions, abuse or negligence are found to have contributed to the deaths must face the full weight of the law.
“Where the investigation establishes that any official, through action, abuse or negligence, contributed to these deaths, that officer must be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law. There must be accountability,” he declared.»
He further directed the Ministry of Interior and the NSCDC leadership to cooperate fully with all relevant investigative authorities, warning officers against interfering with the process or frustrating efforts to uncover the truth.
The President stressed that the suspension of officers, where applicable, would not be enough to determine criminal liability.
“The suspension of officers is an administrative step. It cannot substitute for a proper determination of criminal responsibility where the evidence warrants prosecution,” Tinubu said.
‘Government Must Obey The Law’
While reaffirming the Federal Government’s determination to tackle illegal mining and other criminal activities, Tinubu insisted that security and enforcement operations must be conducted strictly within the law.
He said government agencies must respect the dignity and fundamental rights of persons taken into custody, regardless of the allegations against them.
“We must never allow the pursuit of one form of illegality to create another. Government must enforce the law firmly, but government itself must obey the law,” the President said.»
Tinubu extended his condolences to the families of those who died and appealed for calm among the affected families and communities, assuring them that the government would pursue the truth and take appropriate action based on credible evidence.
“The sanctity of human life is non-negotiable,” the President declared.
In a related development, the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, disclosed that 67 artisanal miners and suspected illegal miners were detained in the NSCDC cell before 37 of them died in custody.
The deaths, which were discovered in the early hours of Thursday, September 17, had initially been linked by the NSCDC to a possible disease outbreak. However, the Corps later stated that the actual cause had not been confirmed, adding that medical and laboratory examinations would determine what happened.
Speaking with journalists in Minna on Friday, Governor Bago said investigations were ongoing, while authorities were considering possible causes, including suffocation caused by overcrowding and exposure to hazardous substances linked to mining activities.
According to him, the NSCDC Niger State Command arrested 67 persons and kept them in the same cell before the deaths occurred.
“The first one is that the office of the Niger State Civil Defence arrested 67 artisans and illegal miners and put them in their cell.
“So probably they died of suffocation. Probably the second one is exposure to certain poisons or poisoning substances on the field,” the governor said.
Bago said medical, forensic and biological experts had been deployed to collect samples and conduct examinations that would help establish the cause of the deaths.
He stressed the importance of expediting autopsies and other investigations, noting that the death of 37 people was a serious matter that required a thorough examination.
“Even at times of war, if you kill 37 people, it is not a small number. So there is a need for us to expedite action in the autopsies that are being done and the samples that are being taken at the scene,” he said.
The governor added that experts were also examining the possibility of radiological exposure at the mining location.
Meanwhile, the NSCDC had confirmed that suspected illegal miners arrested during operations around the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis were found dead while in custody.
The Federal Government has suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, and ordered a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The NSCDC also said officers found culpable after investigations would face appropriate administrative, disciplinary and legal actions.
Also speaking, former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the deaths of the miners, demanding an independent, transparent investigation and full accountability for anyone found responsible.
Atiku, in a statement reacting to the incident, said he was “deeply saddened and profoundly disturbed” by the deaths, insisting that the victims were entitled to protection and humane treatment regardless of the allegations against them.
“These were human beings—sons, fathers, brothers and loved ones, whose families had every right to expect that, whatever allegations they faced, the state would protect their lives and dignity while they remained in its custody,” Atiku said.
He declared that no Nigerian should lose his or her life simply by coming under government custody.
“No Nigerian should enter government custody and lose the most basic right of all: the right to life,” he said.
‘Probe Must Not End With Suspensions’
Atiku commended the Federal Government for suspending the officers under whose watch the tragedy occurred and ordering a full investigation.
However, he warned that administrative sanctions alone would not be sufficient, demanding that the investigation be conducted independently and its findings made public.
“That is an important first step, but it must not end there. The investigation must be independent, thorough and transparent, and its findings must be made public,” he said.
The former vice president further demanded that any official found to have contributed to the deaths through action, abuse or negligence should face full accountability.
He said the families of the deceased deserved more than government condolences, stressing that they were entitled to know exactly what happened to their loved ones.
“The families of the deceased deserve more than condolences. They deserve the truth. They deserve justice. And Nigerians deserve the assurance that custody by the state will never become a death sentence,” Atiku said.
Atiku expressed sympathy with the bereaved families and prayed for strength and comfort for them, while calling for the truth to be established without delay.
“My heart goes out to the bereaved families. I pray that God grants them strength and comfort in this painful hour, and that the truth is established without delay,” he said.
On his part, former Anambra State Governor and NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has demanded urgent answers over the deaths of the victims insisting that every detainee is entitled to life, dignity and humane treatment.
Obi, reacting to the tragedy, described the deaths as “deeply troubling,” stressing that the victims were suspects who had yet to be convicted of any offence.
He said whatever allegations the deceased faced, the responsibility of the state was to keep them alive and safe while due process took its course.
“Whatever offence they were suspected of committing, they were still human beings, and the responsibility of the State was to keep them alive, safe, and treated humanely while due process took its course,” Obi said.
The former governor said it was particularly disturbing that 37 people could die in a detention facility within such a short period, calling for a transparent and credible investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
‘Nigerians Deserve To Know What Happened’
Obi noted that investigations were already underway into the actual cause of the deaths, including reports alleging disease, overcrowding and inadequate ventilation at the detention facility.
He, however, insisted that Nigerians deserved more than preliminary explanations, demanding an independent investigation capable of establishing exactly what happened.
“Nigerians deserve a transparent, independent, and credible investigation that establishes exactly what happened,” he said.
Obi argued that the incident had exposed a broader dimension of Nigeria’s security challenge, stressing that security agencies must go beyond arresting suspects to protecting the lives and dignity of people in their custody.
According to him, institutions entrusted with public safety must operate strictly within the law and remain accountable for the welfare of detainees.
“Security is not merely about arresting people. Security is about protecting lives, upholding the dignity of every citizen, and ensuring that the institutions entrusted with our safety operate within the law,” Obi said.
‘People Cannot Enter Custody Alive And Emerge Dead’
The NDC presidential candidate warned that the circumstances surrounding the deaths raised fundamental questions about the protection of human life and accountability within government institutions.
He declared that a country committed to human dignity could not allow people to enter government custody alive and subsequently die without prompt and credible scrutiny.
“A nation cannot claim to value human life when people can enter government custody alive and emerge dead without immediate, transparent, and credible accountability,” he said.
Obi extended his condolences to the families of the deceased and urged the authorities to ensure that justice was done.
He called for a Nigeria where the rule of law protects every citizen, including those detained by the state.
“Nigeria must become a country where the rule of law protects every citizen, not only those who are free but also those who are in custody,” Obi said.
He prayed for God to grant the bereaved families the strength to bear the loss.
