President Bola Tinubu has directed a thorough and transparent investigation into the deaths of suspected illegal miners while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.
The President insisted that any officials found responsible must face arrest and prosecution.
In a statement released on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President described the incident as a serious matter demanding urgent accountability.
He emphasised that every Nigerian life is valuable and that no citizen should die in government custody due to negligence, abuse, inhumane treatment, or failure of duty.
“Where the investigation establishes that any official, through action, abuse or negligence, contributed to these deaths, such an officer must be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law. There must be accountability,” Tinubu stated.
The President made clear that while the Federal Government remains committed to tackling illegal mining and other crimes, all enforcement operations must strictly adhere to the law and uphold the rights of those in custody.
He stressed that suspicion of illegal mining does not strip individuals of their right to life, dignity, and humane treatment.
Tinubu directed that the probe examine the circumstances of the arrests, the condition of the detainees upon being taken into custody, detention conditions, the number of people held at the facility, any medical care provided, and the sequence of events that led to the deaths.
He also cautioned that the suspension of officers should not be treated as a substitute for determining possible criminal liability.
He instructed the Ministry of Interior and NSCDC leadership to fully cooperate with investigators and ensure that no official obstructs the process or hinders efforts to uncover the truth.
The deaths followed the arrest of suspected illegal miners during enforcement operations in the Wushishi/Lukoto axis of Niger State on September 15 and 16.
Niger State Governor Umar Bago later confirmed that 37 suspected miners died in NSCDC custody.
Forensic examinations, medical assessments, and autopsies are underway to determine the cause of death while the NSCDC has also set up its own investigative team to review the circumstances surrounding the incident.
In response to subsequent protests and the destruction of propertyincluding State Transport Company buses, a Sterling Bank branch, political party offices, and private businesses, Governor Bago imposed a 12-hour curfew across the state.
President Tinubu appealed for calm among the affected families and communities, assuring them that the Federal Government would pursue the truth and take appropriate action based on credible evidence.
“We must never allow the pursuit of one form of illegality to create another. The government must enforce the law firmly, but it must also obey the law. The sanctity of human life is non-negotiable,” he said.
