The Nigeria Police Force has taken control of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) detention facility in Minna, Niger State, as investigations intensify into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died in custody.
The takeover followed a directive by Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths, with the facility and relevant evidence now under police scrutiny.
The deceased were among scores of persons arrested during NSCDC operations against suspected illegal mining activities around the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16.
Authorities have yet to establish the definitive cause of the deaths, which occurred in the early hours of September 17. The NSCDC initially raised the possibility of a disease outbreak, while subsequent accounts pointed to overcrowding and poor ventilation as possible factors.
The investigation has consequently shifted attention to the conditions under which the suspects were arrested and detained, as well as what happened inside the facility before the 37 deaths were recorded.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago had disclosed that 67 suspected illegal miners were held in the cell before 37 died, while medical examinations were ordered to help determine the actual cause of death.
The development has also triggered a broader federal response. The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Saturday announced the suspension of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant and 20 other officers pending the outcome of an independent investigation.
The Federal Government also constituted a 10-member committee to establish the identities of the deceased, examine their arrest and detention, determine the cause and manner of death and establish whether there was responsibility, complicity, negligence or misconduct.
According to the Interior Ministry, the committee is expected to recommend appropriate action, including compensation where applicable, and propose measures to prevent a recurrence. It has two weeks to submit its report.
Tunji-Ojo warned that “any attempt to destroy or conceal evidence, intimidate witnesses or obstruct the investigation will be treated as a serious offence,” as authorities moved to preserve material that could assist the inquiry.
The police investigation is running alongside inquiries by the Niger State Government, NSCDC and other federal agencies, including a technical team deployed by the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to assist in establishing the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The deaths have generated public concern over the treatment of persons detained during enforcement operations against illegal mining. Amnesty International has called for a prompt, independent, impartial and transparent investigation, particularly because some of those who died were reportedly minors.
A survivor, Dauda Shehu, told the Associated Press that detainees were packed into a poorly ventilated cell and struggled to breathe before the deaths occurred. His account has raised questions about the detention conditions, although it does not by itself establish the official cause of death.
The incident has also heightened scrutiny of enforcement operations against illegal mining in Niger State, where authorities have continued efforts to curb activities blamed for environmental damage and other security concerns.
For now, the central question before the multiple investigative teams is how 37 people arrested over alleged illegal mining came to lose their lives while in state custody, with the police takeover of the facility expected to form part of efforts to establish what happened and who, if anyone, bears responsibility.
