Following the controversial deaths of dozens of suspected illegal miners in custody, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has ordered the immediate suspension of the Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Suberu Aniviye.
Consequently, the Minister has directed a full-scale investigation into the unfortunate incident, which reportedly occurred in the early hours of Thursday, September 17, around the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto axis of Minna, the Niger State capital.
Reports said the deceased individuals were among a group of suspects rounded up during a series of aggressive state-wide enforcement operations targeting illegal mining activities between September 15 and 16, 2026.
And in a swift response from Abuja on Friday, the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Alao Babatunde, confirmed that a zero-tolerance stance prompted the immediate removal of the NSCDC State Commandant, with a ministerial directives approving a comprehensive, unsparing probe to uncover the exact circumstances leading to the huge fatalities behind bars.
“It is an unfortunate incident, however, a full investigation will be conducted while the commandant under whose watch this happened remains suspended. We run a government whose ultimate priority is security of lives and we have worked to stay true to this,” the statement declared.
The Minister, who urged members of the public to remain calm and law-abiding to allow for a transparent investigation, also commiserated with the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, and the families and relatives of the deceased.
Emerging reports had put the number of suspected illegal miners who died in custody at about 33, while the NSCDC did not give a specific figure as of press time. This is as the unfortunate deaths prompted the NSCDC hierarchy to constitute an investigative panel to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
On Thursday, a statement released by the NSCDC National Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, said the team, led by the Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation, has been mandated to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the tragic event.
The statement explained that the investigation would cover the condition of the suspects upon arrest, their period in custody, the conditions of detention, medical attention provided to them and other circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Meanwhile, the NSCDC had also cautioned the public against speculation over the cause of deaths, saying reports attributing them to any specific disease remained subject to medical and laboratory confirmation.
