The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, today, ordered the suspension of 20 officers in connection with the alleged killing of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State, until the conclusion of investigation. Interactive Map Download
Channels TV adds that the development came on the directive by President Bola Tinubu for a thorough, transparent and unrestricted inquiry into the event which transpired on Thursday.
The NSCDC officers affected are: O/C Station Guard, SC Usman Isah Ndamaka; Station Guard, ASCI Hassan Mohammed; Station Guard, CCA Bala Mohammed; Arresting Officer/O/C Investigation, CSC Oluwadare Sunday; Arresting Officer, DCC Obafemi Elvis; Arresting Officer, CSC Annas Shitto Lamino; HOD INT/INV, DCC Philip Ajayi; O/C Legal, ACC Barr in a statement signed by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. Day/Night Duty Officer, ASCI Alhassan Mohammed, Guard Duty, IC Abdullahi Sale, Stephen Tsado.
Others are Guard Duty, IC Mohammed Sonfada, Guard Duty, CAI Liman Abubakar, Guard Duty, CAI Bala Usman, Guard Duty, IC Mohammed Jiya, Guard Duty, DSC Isah Suleiman, Guard Duty, CAI Ahmed Wushishi, Guard Duty, IC Sale Adamu, Guard Duty, IC Haruna Mohammed, Guard Duty, ASCI Aliyu Sallah and Guard Duty, CAI Isah Sanusi.
Tunji-Ojo has also set up a 10-member impartial commission to investigate the reported deaths of the victims on suspicion of illicit mining.
The minister described the killings as very troubling and said the government owes the families of the victims and the Nigerian public a clear account of the events leading to the disaster.
The impartial committee is intended to identify the dead and investigate their arrests, imprisonment and cause and circumstances of their deaths.
The minister asked the committee to find out who is responsible, who is complicit, who is negligent and who is guilty of misbehaviour and suggest suitable action, compensation if any, and steps to avoid recurrence.
The Minister further asked the NSCDC leadership and all relevant officials to cooperate fully with the Committee while directing that all records and material evidence relating to the incident be preserved and made available to the investigators.
He warned: “Any attempt to destroy or conceal evidence, intimidate witnesses or obstruct the investigation will be treated as a serious offence.
The members of the committee are:
Chairman Mr Jonathan Kure, mni, Retired Deputy Director-General, Department of State Services
Secretary: Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma (SAN), former Director-General, Nigeria Law School.
AIG Hosea Hassan (retired) Karma
Prof. Olayinka Buhari, Professor of Histopathology and former Chief Medical Director, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital
Member, Minna Emirate Council
On behalf of the Niger State Government
National Secretary, Miners Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Liman Sulaiman
Deji Adeyanju, a lawyer and human rights activist
Mrs Zainab Suleiman Okino, Blueprint Newspaper
Dr. George Agbakahi, Public Affairs Analyst
The Committee may co-opt relevant specialists, have access to all essential facilities and records, visit relevant areas and ask for memoranda from members of the public. It has two weeks to do its task, and present its findings to the minister”, the statement added.
The minister expressed condolences to the families of the dead and called for calm as the inquiry continues.
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