Fidelia Soriwei, Abuja
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has deployed a high-level team of officials to Niger State to investigate the deaths of suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Alake announced the move on Friday while expressing condolences to Governor Umar Mohammed Bago, the families of the deceased and residents affected by the incident.
According to the minister, the team has been mandated to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and work with other investigators to determine what transpired.
“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 team will collaborate with other investigators to provide a comprehensive report on the incident.”
Describing the development as tragic, Alake said the loss of lives had caused deep concern and called for a thorough investigation to ensure accountability.
“It is with profound shock and deep sorrow that I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Governor of Niger State, His Excellency, Mohammed Umaru Bago, and the entire people of the state over the tragic loss of lives among detained citizens in Minna,” he said.
“During this solemn period of state mourning, my thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families and the communities bearing the weight of this grief.”
The minister commended the Niger State Government for declaring a mourning period and setting up a framework to investigate the incident.
He stressed that a transparent and independent inquiry was necessary to establish responsibility and help prevent similar incidents in detention facilities.
“A thorough, transparent, and independent inquiry is vital to ensure accountability and prevent any recurrence of such distress in our detention and correctional facilities,” Alake said.
The deceased were among suspects arrested during coordinated operations against illegal mining activities in the Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16.
While early reports indicated that more than 30 detainees died in custody, subsequent accounts put the figure at about 40. Authorities have yet to officially determine the final death toll or establish the cause of death.
The NSCDC has already constituted a high-powered investigative panel to examine the condition of the suspects at the time of arrest, the circumstances of their detention and the medical attention provided while in custody.
The Federal Government has also ordered investigations into the incident, with forensic examinations, medical tests and autopsies ongoing to determine the cause of the deaths.
Alake said the findings of his ministry’s team would complement other ongoing inquiries aimed at uncovering the facts surrounding the tragedy and ensuring accountability where necessary.
