TINUBU ORDERS PROSECUTION OF OFFICIALS IMPLICATED IN MINERS’ DEATHS

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed that any government official found responsible for the deaths of suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State should face prosecution. The directive follows the deaths of 37 detainees arrested during operations against illegal mining in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of the state.

The Federal Government has ordered a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths, while the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, has been suspended to allow the investigation to proceed. Other senior officers responsible for operations, mining, legal, intelligence and investigation have also been directed to appear before the investigative panel.

The government said the investigation would establish what happened to the detainees from the time of their arrest through their period in custody, including the conditions under which they were held and the medical attention they received. The cause of death has not yet been conclusively established, with medical examinations, forensic investigations and autopsies being conducted.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the Federal Government would not shield anyone found culpable. He stressed that while the government remained committed to tackling illegal mining, enforcement operations must be conducted within the law and with respect for human life, dignity and fundamental rights.

The deaths have also triggered calls for accountability from political groups and other stakeholders, while protests have taken place in Minna over the incident. Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has ordered a state-level investigation and imposed measures to contain the unrest, while the Federal Government has appealed for calm as the various investigations continue. The authorities said anyone found to have acted unlawfully or negligently would face appropriate administrative, disciplinary or criminal action.