Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has demanded an independent investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State. The detainees were arrested during enforcement operations on September 15 and 16. Atiku, in a statement, said President Bola Tinubu, Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake, and Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo must provide answers over the deaths.
The NSCDC initially reported that the detainees died following a suspected disease outbreak, but the actual cause of death remains subject to investigation and medical examinations. Atiku argued that the government must establish how the detainees died while in state custody, saying that 37 Nigerians, many of them teenagers, entered government custody alive but did not leave alive. He called for an independent criminal investigation rather than an inquiry conducted solely by government agencies.
A survivor told the Associated Press that detainees were held in an overcrowded, poorly ventilated cell and struggled to breathe. Atiku said survivors' accounts of overcrowding and poor ventilation in the detention facility should be investigated alongside the official explanation of a possible disease outbreak. He also called on Tunji-Ojo, whose ministry supervises the NSCDC, to account for the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Atiku also called on Alake to account for the enforcement operations linked to the illegal-mining sector. He said Dele Alake must equally account for the enforcement operations surrounding the sector he supervises. The former vice president said President Tinubu bore ultimate responsibility for the conduct of his administration and should ensure that the circumstances surrounding the deaths were fully established.
Tinubu has already ordered a full and transparent investigation into the deaths, saying no citizen should lose his life in government custody through negligence, abuse, inhumane treatment, or dereliction of duty. The Federal Government has also suspended NSCDC officers in connection with the incident. On Saturday, the Minister of Interior directed the suspension of 20 officers pending the conclusion of the investigation.
Atiku said the suspensions should not replace a comprehensive investigation capable of establishing the full chain of responsibility. He called for the preservation of detention registers, operational records, communication logs, medical reports, photographs, and available surveillance footage. He also urged authorities to establish when the detainees first showed signs of distress, who was informed, what medical assistance was provided, and the precise cause of each death.
Atiku further linked the incident to broader economic hardship, arguing that unemployment and poverty had pushed some young Nigerians into illegal mining. He called for an independent inquiry, publication of its findings, and accountability for anyone found culpable. Atiku said anyone found responsible should be prosecuted, regardless of rank or political affiliation.
Key points
- Atiku Abubakar demands an independent investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in NSCDC custody.
- The incident has raised concerns about the government's approach to tackling illegal mining and human rights abuses.
- President Tinubu has ordered a full and transparent investigation into the deaths.
