The Federal Government has deployed a high-powered investigative team to Niger State to probe the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who were being held in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, saying the team would investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths and establish the facts of the incident.
Alake said the team would collaborate with other investigators to produce a comprehensive report on the circumstances that led to the deaths.
“Given the allegation that the detained persons were arrested on suspicion of carrying out illegal mining, I have deployed a high-powered team of officials to Niger State to investigate the circumstances and ascertain the facts of the matter,” he said.
The minister expressed condolences to the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, the bereaved families and the people of the state over the incident, describing the loss of lives as a tragedy affecting families and communities.
He commended Bago for his swift administrative response, including the declaration of a period of mourning and the establishment of an investigative framework to determine what led to the deaths.
According to Alake, a thorough, transparent and independent inquiry is necessary to establish accountability and prevent similar incidents from occurring in detention and correctional facilities.
The development followed a statement by the NSCDC Commandant in Niger State, Suberu Aniviye, on Thursday, that scores of suspects arrested during operations conducted on September 15 and 16 were found dead in the early hours of Thursday.
Aniviye attributed the deaths to a suspected outbreak of disease.
The Federal Government subsequently suspended the commandant and ordered a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The latest investigation is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and determine the appropriate actions arising from the findings.
