President Bola Tinubu has ordered a full and transparent investigation into the deaths of suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State.
The President also directed that any officials found to have contributed to the deaths through action, abuse or negligence should be arrested and prosecuted in line with the law.
Tinubu gave the directive in a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, describing the deaths as a grave matter requiring urgent investigation and accountability.
He said the life of every Nigerian mattered and that no citizen should die in government custody because of negligence, abuse, inhumane treatment or dereliction of duty.
The President stressed that the fact that the deceased were suspected of illegal mining did not remove their right to life, dignity and humane treatment while in custody.
Tinubu said the government would continue to tackle illegal mining and other criminal activities but insisted that enforcement operations must comply with the law and respect the rights of detainees.
He directed investigators to examine the circumstances of the arrests, the condition of the detainees when they were taken into custody, the conditions under which they were held, the number of people detained at the facility, the medical care provided and the events leading to the deaths.
The President also warned that the suspension of officials would not replace the need to determine whether criminal responsibility existed.
He directed the Ministry of Interior and the NSCDC leadership to cooperate fully with investigators and ensure that no official interfered with the probe or obstructed efforts to establish the facts.
The suspected illegal miners were arrested during enforcement operations in the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis 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. Forensic examinations, medical examinations and autopsies are being conducted to establish the cause of the deaths.
The NSCDC has also constituted an investigative team to examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths, including the condition of the suspects upon arrest, their period in custody, detention conditions and the medical attention they received.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, and ordered a full investigation into the incident.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, subsequently assured that nobody found culpable would be shielded, while cautioning against prejudging the outcome of the investigation.
The deaths have also triggered protests in Niger State, prompting Governor Bago to impose a 24-hour curfew after reports of vandalism of government property, a bank, political party offices and private businesses.
Tinubu appealed for calm among the affected families and communities, assuring them that the government would pursue the truth and take appropriate action based on the findings of the investigation.
He said the government must enforce the law while also obeying it, stressing that the protection of human life remained paramount.
