Oyindamola Ogunbowale
Thirty seven suspected illegal miners have died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, sparking investigations into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The victims were among scores of suspects arrested during NSCDC operations targeting illegal mining activities around the M.I.
Wushishi/Lukoto area of the state on September 15 and 16.
Some of the detainees were found dead in the early hours of September 17, with their bodies subsequently taken to the General Hospital in Minna for medical examinations.
Niger State Governor Umaru Bago later confirmed that 37 detainees had died and announced three days of mourning for the victims.
The exact cause of the deaths remains unclear.
The NSCDC initially linked the incident to a suspected disease outbreak but said the actual cause had not been conclusively established.
Medical examinations and autopsies are expected to determine what led to the deaths.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has ordered a full investigation into the incident, while the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, has been suspended pending the outcome of the probe.
The NSCDC has also constituted an investigative team to examine the circumstances surrounding the arrests, the conditions in which the suspects were held and the medical attention provided to them.
The Niger State Government and police are conducting separate investigations, with authorities expected to establish how the detainees died and whether any lapses occurred while they were in custody.
As the probes continue, questions remain over what happened between the suspects’ arrest and the discovery of the bodies, with the outcome of the medical examinations expected to provide a clearer picture of the tragedy.
