The federal government on Saturday, September 19, suspended 20 officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) over the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners detained in the corps’ custody in Niger state.
The minister of interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the suspension alongside that of the Niger state NSCDC commandant, Suberu Aniviye, pending the outcome of an independent investigation into the deaths.
The affected officers include personnel responsible for station guard duties, arrests and investigation, intelligence, legal services, day and night duty and other custodial responsibilities.
The development followed president Bola Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive, transparent and unhindered investigation into the incident, which occurred on Thursday, September 17.
The federal government also constituted a 10-member independent committee to establish the identities of the deceased and investigate their arrests, detention and the cause and circumstances of their deaths.
The committee is chaired by Jonathan Kure, a retired deputy director-general of the Department of State Services, while Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, a former Director-General of the Nigeria Law School, is the secretary.
Other members include retired assistant inspector-general of Police Hosea Hassan Karma, Professor Olayinka Buhari, a professor of histopathology and former chief medical director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, and representatives of the Minna Emirate Council and Niger state government.
The committee also includes Liman Sulaiman, national secretary of the Miners Association of Nigeria, lawyer and human rights activist Deji Adeyanju, Zainab Suleiman Okino of Blueprint newspaper; and public affairs analyst George Agbakahi.
The committee is expected to determine responsibility, complicity, negligence and misconduct and recommend appropriate action, compensation where applicable and measures to prevent a recurrence.
It may also co-opt relevant experts, access necessary facilities and documents, visit relevant locations and request memoranda from members of the public.
The government directed NSCDC leadership and all relevant officers to cooperate fully with the investigation and preserve all records and material evidence connected to the incident.
The committee has two weeks to complete its work and submit its report to the Minister.
The 40 suspected illegal miners were arrested during NSCDC enforcement operations in Niger state on, Tuesday, September 15 and Wednesday, September 16 and were later found dead in custody.
The circumstances surrounding their deaths remain under investigation.
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