The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has paraded its suspended Niger State Commandant, Commandant Suberu Aniviye, and other officers linked to the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died in the Corps’ custody.
The officers were paraded on Sunday at the NSCDC National Headquarters, Sauka, Abuja, as the Corps presented preliminary findings into the controversial deaths.
The NSCDC National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commandant Babawale Afolabi, briefed journalists on the development, as scrutiny intensified over the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The 37 detainees reportedly died on Thursday after they were arrested during anti-illegal mining operations conducted by NSCDC personnel in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16.
The Corps had initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, saying medical examinations would determine the actual cause.
However, the explanation has come under increasing scrutiny amid allegations of overcrowding, poor detention conditions and possible exposure to hazardous substances.
37 Die In NSCDC Custody
Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, had disclosed that 67 artisanal and suspected illegal miners were detained in an NSCDC facility before 37 of them died.
The governor said the exact cause of the deaths remained unknown, while possible suffocation caused by overcrowding and exposure to hazardous substances were among the issues being considered.
The deaths have sparked widespread concern and demands for an independent investigation, particularly following reports that some of those detained may have been minors.
Amnesty International has also called for an independent investigation into the incident, further increasing pressure on the authorities to establish what happened inside the detention facility.
FG Suspends 21 Officers
In response to the incident, the Federal Government suspended the Niger State Commandant and 20 other NSCDC officers pending the outcome of investigations.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, also constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the deaths.
The committee has been mandated to establish the identities of the deceased, examine the circumstances surrounding their arrest and detention, determine the cause and circumstances of their deaths and submit its report within two weeks.
The development followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive, transparent and unhindered investigation into the incident.
The NSCDC had separately constituted a high-powered investigative team to examine the condition of the detainees when they were arrested, their period in custody, the detention conditions and the medical attention provided to them.
Protests Rock Minna
The controversy has also spilled onto the streets of Minna, where protests erupted over the deaths.
he protests reportedly resulted in clashes between demonstrators and security personnel, prompting authorities to impose a curfew in the Niger State capital.
The parading of the suspended commandant and other officers on Sunday came as the authorities faced mounting demands for accountability and answers over how 37 detainees died while in state custody.
The ongoing investigations are expected to establish the precise circumstances that led to the deaths and determine whether any officers or other persons should bear responsibility.
