Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago and the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, have met with survivors of the detention incident that allegedly resulted in the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
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A video from the meeting showed the governor and the minister questioning some of the survivors about their arrest, detention conditions and what transpired inside the NSCDC facility before the deaths were discovered.
The survivors had reportedly been invited by the State Security Service to provide information that could assist ongoing investigations into the incident.
The engagement formed part of government efforts to reconcile conflicting accounts surrounding the deaths and establish whether misconduct, negligence or unsafe detention conditions contributed to the tragedy.
The detainees were arrested during NSCDC operations conducted on September 15 and 16 at suspected illegal mining sites in the Wushishi-Lukoto area of Niger State.
They were subsequently taken to the NSCDC detention facility in Minna, where 37 persons were later reported dead.
The NSCDC initially linked the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak but later clarified that the actual cause had not been established and would be determined through medical examination and investigation.
Survivors, however, alleged that dozens of detainees were packed into an overcrowded and poorly ventilated cell, raising suspicions that the victims may have died from suffocation.
The allegations triggered widespread protests and demands for accountability, prompting the Federal Government to suspend the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye.
Tunji-Ojo also directed the NSCDC Commandant-General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, to conduct what he described as a full-scale, transparent and unhindered investigation.
The minister assured the survivors and families of the deceased that the matter would not be concealed, promising that anyone found culpable would be held accountable.
Governor Bago similarly constituted a state committee of inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
“The most important thing is that people died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. They were detained in their cells, and this morning, we woke up to the news that 37 of them had died,” Bago said.
The governor maintained that it was premature to reach a conclusion on the cause of death before the completion of investigations.
President Bola Tinubu has also ordered a full and transparent investigation, directing the relevant authorities to determine what happened and ensure that anyone responsible faces appropriate consequences.
The state government declared three days of mourning and cancelled a scheduled political rally in honour of the deceased.
Bago subsequently imposed a 24-hour curfew in Minna after protests over the deaths reportedly became violent and resulted in the destruction of property.
Security agencies were directed to enforce the curfew and protect residents and public facilities while investigations continued.
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