The National Human Rights Commission has commenced a preliminary investigation into the reported deaths of about 33 persons suspected to be artisanal miners while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, Niger State.
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The Commission said the deceased were among suspects arrested during enforcement operations against alleged illegal mining activities in the Wushishi-Lukoto area of the state on September 15 and 16, 2026.
According to the NHRC, the bodies of the deceased were subsequently deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, raising serious concerns over the circumstances in which they died after being taken into custody.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chief Tony Ojukwu, SAN, described the incident as one requiring an urgent, transparent and comprehensive investigation, saying the Commission had initiated a preliminary probe to establish the cause and circumstances of the deaths.
Ojukwu also called for an independent forensic autopsy to be conducted on the bodies of the deceased, alongside the preservation of all available evidence capable of assisting investigators in determining what happened while the suspects were in custody.
He said the investigation should not be limited to establishing the medical cause of death but should also examine the circumstances surrounding the arrests, detention and treatment of the suspects before their deaths.
The NHRC boss further said any investigation being undertaken by the Ministry of Interior and the NSCDC must be transparent, comprehensive and consistent with applicable international standards for investigating potentially unlawful deaths in custody.
He stressed that the arrest of a person on suspicion of involvement in illegal mining does not extinguish the individual’s constitutional and fundamental rights.
According to him, security and law-enforcement agencies remain under an obligation to protect the rights, dignity and safety of every person taken into their custody, irrespective of the allegation for which the person was arrested.
“Citizens who are arrested on suspicion by law enforcement agents are by law expected to enjoy the full compliment of their fundamental human right in accordance with national and international human rights instruments,” Ojukwu said.
He maintained that persons in custody remain entitled to the protection guaranteed by the Constitution and applicable human rights instruments and that any allegation of a violation resulting in death requires proper investigation and accountability.
The Commission’s intervention follows the controversy surrounding the deaths of the suspected miners after NSCDC enforcement operations in Niger State.
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had earlier ordered the Niger State Commandant of the NSCDC, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, to step aside pending an investigation into the incident.
The NSCDC subsequently directed the commandant to report to its National Headquarters in Abuja to appear before a panel of inquiry alongside senior officers responsible for Operations, Mining, Legal, Intelligence and Investigation in the Niger State Command.
The Corps also deployed another commandant to take charge of the state command while investigations continue.
The NHRC, however, said the circumstances surrounding the deaths required independent scrutiny and preservation of relevant evidence to ensure that the truth is established and responsibility determined where necessary.
Ojukwu also appealed to residents of Minna, particularly youths, to remain calm and avoid actions capable of escalating tension while investigations are ongoing.
He assured members of the public that the Commission would pursue accountability and appropriate remedies should its investigation establish that the rights of any of the deceased persons were violated.
The NHRC said its intervention was consistent with its mandate to protect and promote fundamental human rights and ensure that law-enforcement operations comply with constitutional and international human rights standards.
The Commission maintained that enforcement against illegal mining must be carried out within the law and that allegations against suspects cannot justify conduct that violates their fundamental rights.
Ojukwu said the outcome of the investigation should establish not only what caused the deaths but also whether the suspects were properly treated while in custody and whether any officer or institution bears responsibility.
The statement announcing the investigation was signed by the NHRC’s Director of Corporate Affairs and External Linkages, Fatimah Agwai Mohammed.
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