ALAKE SENDS EXPERT TEAM TO NIGER OVER DEATHS IN MINING DETENTION

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has deployed a high-powered team of officials to Niger State to investigate the deaths of suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna. Alake disclosed the development in a statement on Friday while expressing condolences to Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, the families of the deceased and communities affected by the incident. The minister said the team would investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths and establish the facts of what happened.

The suspected miners were reportedly arrested during enforcement operations carried out on September 15 and 16 in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State as part of efforts to tackle illegal mining. According to the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, scores of the detainees were found dead in the early hours of Thursday following a suspected disease outbreak. Reports initially put the number of deaths at 33, while other accounts have placed the figure at about 37 to 40. Authorities have yet to establish a final death toll and the exact cause of the deaths remains subject to investigation and medical confirmation.

Alake described the incident as a tragic loss of lives and said the circumstances surrounding the deaths required a thorough and independent investigation. He commended Governor Bago for declaring a period of mourning and establishing an investigative framework to determine what led to the deaths. The minister stressed that the inquiry should establish accountability and help prevent similar incidents from occurring in detention and correctional facilities.

The minister said the involvement of his ministry was necessary because the deceased persons had reportedly been arrested on suspicion of engaging in illegal mining activities. He directed the high-powered team of officials to work with other investigators already examining the incident and produce a comprehensive report. The investigation is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the arrests, the condition of the detainees while in custody and the events that preceded their deaths.

Meanwhile, Governor Bago has said his administration values the lives of citizens and would not tolerate injustice, while assuring residents that the circumstances surrounding the deaths would be thoroughly investigated. The Department of State Services, Nigeria Police Force and NSCDC have also reportedly commenced separate inquiries into the incident. Alake said the Federal Government’s investigation would complement those efforts, adding that a transparent process was necessary to establish the truth and ensure accountability while expressing sympathy to the bereaved families and praying for the repose of the deceased.