The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has sent a high-powered team of officials to Niger State to examine the death of 37 alleged illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna.
The victims were apprehended in enforcement operations on the 15th and 16th of September 2026 throughout the M.I Wushishi and Lukoto axis of Niger State as part of measures to reduce the unlawful mining activities. They were found deceased in the early hours of 17 September
Alake in a statement on Friday said he was deeply shocked and commiserated with Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago and the families of the deceased.
Alake said: “I am profoundly shocked and deeply sorrowful as I offer my heartfelt condolences to the Governor of Niger State, His Excellency, Mohammed Umaru Bago and the entire people of the state on the tragic loss of lives of detained citizens in Minna.
“The minister stressed the importance of a full and independent inquiry to hold those responsible to account and to prevent a repeat in detention facilities.”
“It is important that any such distress in our detention and correctional facilities be investigated in a thorough, transparent and independent manner to ensure accountability and that such distress does not recur,” he said.
Alake said the inquiry team would coordinate with other investigators to present a full account of the occurrence.
Former Vise President Atiku Abubakar has also called for an impartial, thorough and transparent probe into the murders, saying the victims deserved safety and dignity while in government custody.
“No Nigerian should enter government custody and lose the most elementary right of all: the right to life,” Atiku said in a statement on social media platform X.
He complimented the Federal Government on the suspension of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, but said the suspension should be the tip of the iceberg.
“Atiku said the investigation must be independent, thorough, transparent and its outcomes made public. “Any person who is culpable by act, abuse or negligence shall be held fully accountable.
The former Vise President said the dead’s families deserve more than sympathy.
“The bereaved families deserve more than condolences. They want the truth. They deserve to get justice. “Nigerians deserve the assurance that custody by the state will never be a death sentence,” he stated.
Initially, Suberu Aniviye, Commandant of the NSCDC in Niger State, had attributed the deaths to a potential epidemic of sickness in the detention facility.
“But in the early hours of 17th September 2026, hundreds of the detained suspects were found dead following a suspected outbreak of disease,” Aniviye claimed.
But the precise cause of death has not been definitively determined. Forensic exams, medical examinations and autopsies were being done to identify the scientific cause of the deaths, Governor Bago stated.
The governor warned against speculation, noting possible causes under investigation included asphyxia from congestion and exposure to dangerous compounds related to mining activity.
The NSCDC Commandant-General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has created a high-powered investigative team headed by the Deputy Commandant-General in-charge of Intelligence and Investigation.
The panel has been tasked to investigate the state of the suspects at the time of their arrest, the duration of their imprisonment, the conditions of their detention, their medical treatment and any other pertinent facts about the occurrence.
Babawale Afolabi, the spokesperson for the NSCDC said the probe would include all the stages of the case.
The Federal Government has suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant and 20 other personnel awaiting the conclusion of investigation.
A new commandant, Abdulhamid Kabara, has been posted to take over the Niger State Command.
Kabara expressed his sincere regret over the loss of lives and deepest compassion to the families of the departed.
“In a moment like this, in addition to the arrests, the investigations, the enforcement and the fight against illegal mining, we must remember one fundamental truth: every human life counts,” Kabara added.
About the Author
