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 while in the Corps’ custody.
The officers were paraded on Sunday at the NSCDC National Headquarters in Sauka, Abuja, as the Corps’ National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commandant Babawale Afolabi, briefed journalists on preliminary findings into the incident.
The 37 detainees died on Thursday after they were arrested during anti-illegal mining operations carried out by the NSCDC in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16.
The NSCDC initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, saying medical examinations would determine the actual cause.
However, concerns over the circumstances surrounding the deaths have continued to grow, with survivors and relatives alleging overcrowding and poor conditions at the detention facility.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago disclosed that 67 artisanal and suspected illegal miners had been detained at an NSCDC facility before 37 of them died.
The governor said the exact cause of death had yet to be established, adding that possible suffocation caused by overcrowding and exposure to hazardous substances were among the factors being considered.
The Federal Government subsequently suspended the Niger State Commandant and 20 other NSCDC officers pending the outcome of an independent investigation.
Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo also constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the deaths. The panel is expected to establish the identities of the deceased, examine the circumstances surrounding their arrest and detention, and determine the cause and circumstances of their deaths.
The committee has two weeks to complete its assignment.
The investigation followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive, transparent and unhindered probe into the incident.
The NSCDC had earlier constituted its own high-powered investigative team to examine the condition of the detainees at the time of their arrest, their period in custody, the conditions under which they were detained and the medical care provided to them.
Amnesty International has also called for an independent investigation into the deaths, particularly amid reports that some of those detained were minors.
The incident has further triggered protests in Minna, where authorities imposed a curfew following clashes between protesters and security personnel.
The ongoing investigations are expected to provide further clarity on the circumstances surrounding the deaths and establish whether any individuals or institutions bear responsibility.
