ABUJA — The Federal Government has constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State, as questions continue to mount over the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
The committee was announced by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, following a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what the government described as a comprehensive, transparent and unhindered investigation.
The 37 detainees died on September 17 after being arrested on suspicion of illegal mining and held at an NSCDC detention facility in Minna, the Niger State capital.
Panel Given Two Weeks
The investigative committee, chaired by retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, has been given two weeks to complete its work and submit its findings to the Minister of Interior.
Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, will serve as secretary.
Other members include retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police Hosea Hassan Karma; Professor Olayinka Buhari, a professor of histopathology and former Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital; human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju; journalist Zainab Suleiman Okino; public affairs analyst Dr George Agbakahi; and Alhaji Liman Sulaiman, National Secretary of the Miners Association of Nigeria.
Representatives of the Niger State Government and the Minna Emirate Council are also on the committee.
Panel to Establish Cause of Death
The committee has been mandated to establish the identities of the deceased and examine the circumstances surrounding their arrest, detention and eventual deaths.
It is also expected to determine whether there was negligence, misconduct, complicity or other wrongdoing by officials and recommend appropriate disciplinary or legal action where necessary.
The panel may recommend compensation where applicable and propose measures aimed at preventing a similar tragedy.
Investigators have also been empowered to inspect relevant facilities, obtain documents, visit locations connected to the incident, invite experts and receive information from members of the public.
Cause of Death Remains Unclear
The exact cause of the deaths has yet to be established.
Initial accounts from the NSCDC raised the possibility of a disease outbreak. However, other accounts, including those from survivors, have raised questions about overcrowding and inadequate ventilation at the detention facility.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has also said several possibilities must be examined, including suffocation and exposure to potentially hazardous substances associated with mining activities.
Authorities have stressed that the competing explanations remain unproven and that investigations are expected to establish what actually happened.
NSCDC Officers Suspended
The Federal Government has ordered the suspension of officers connected with the incident pending the outcome of the investigation. The Niger State NSCDC commandant is among officials suspended as authorities seek to ensure that the investigation proceeds without interference.
The government has also warned against destroying or concealing evidence, intimidating witnesses or attempting to obstruct the investigation.
Separate investigations have been launched by the police, Niger State Government and other relevant authorities, while experts from the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development have been deployed to assist in examining whether mining-related factors may have contributed to the deaths.
Tragedy Sparks Anger
The deaths have triggered public outrage and protests in Minna, with residents and relatives of the deceased demanding answers and accountability.
Demonstrations following the incident prompted security measures in the state capital as authorities appealed for calm.
The tragedy has also renewed scrutiny of detention conditions and the conduct of security agencies during operations against illegal mining.
While the Federal Government has reiterated its determination to tackle illegal mining across the country, the administration has maintained that enforcement operations must be conducted within the law.
For the families of the 37 victims, however, the central question remains unanswered: How did dozens of people taken alive into government custody end up dead?
The newly constituted panel now faces the task of providing that answer — and determining who, if anyone, should be held responsible.
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