A total of 37 suspected illegal miners died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State, according to a report by the International Human Rights Commission. The victims were among scores of suspects arrested during operations conducted on September 15 and 16 around the Lt Gen Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna, the state capital.
The NSCDC commandant in the state at the time, Suberu Aniviye, had said scores of the detained suspects were found dead in the early hours of Thursday following a suspected outbreak of disease. The Federal Government subsequently suspended the Niger State NSCDC commandant and ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The International Human Rights Commission obtained an initial list of the deceased from the records of the General Hospital, Minna. Awaisu Giwa, International Peace Ambassador at the IHRC, said the organisation got the list from the CMD of the general hospital, which was written by the mortuary attendant.
According to the report, four additional names were subsequently provided by relatives of victims whose names were not initially recorded in the hospital list. Giwa said the list would also be used to facilitate compensation for the families of those who died.
The names of the deceased have been compiled and made public. They include Ibrahim Sani, Fahad Sa’adu, Abdulsalam Ismail, Usman Aliyu, Abubakar Alhaji, Sani Nasir, Sanusi Khalid, Ahmad Aliyu, Safiyanu Abdullahi, Suleiman Dantala, Idris Haruna, Sani Yakubu, Safiyanu Abubakar, Abdullahi Abubakar, Abubakar Musa, Abdul Mudassir, Suleiman Lawal, Usman Abdullahi, Samuel Sambo, Ibrahim Musa, Yusuf Nasiru, Umar Lawal, Isyaku Amisu, Bissallah Adamu, Abdulbari Suleiman, Shafisu Lado, Usman Ahmad, Usman Ibrahim, Sani Isyaku, Musa Ibrahim, Idris Bashir, Kabiru Suleiman, Emmanuel Emeka, Mu’awiya AbdulKarim, Abdul Gafar Abubakar, Usman Haruna, Yaro Salihu, and Soba Samuel.
The Federal Government has inaugurated a committee to probe the Niger miners’ deaths. This move is aimed at uncovering the circumstances surrounding the incident and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage and concern, with many calling for improved conditions in detention facilities and an end to the activities of illegal miners in the country. The government has been urged to take concrete steps to address these issues and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
Key points
- The International Human Rights Commission has compiled a list of 37 suspected illegal miners who died in NSCDC custody in Niger State.
- The Federal Government has suspended the Niger State NSCDC commandant and ordered an investigation into the incident.
- A committee has been inaugurated to probe the Niger miners’ deaths and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
