By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini
The Nigerian Government has suspended the Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, after more than 30 suspected illegal miners died following their arrest during enforcement operations.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordered the suspension on Friday pending a full investigation into the deaths. The minister’s spokesman, Alao Babatunde, said in a statement that Aniviye would remain suspended while authorities establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The suspects were arrested on September 15 and 16 during operations against illegal mining in Niger State and detained at an NSCDC facility in Minna. SaharaReporters had reported that no fewer than 33 suspected illegal miners were feared dead, with the deaths discovered in the early hours of Thursday, September 17, after a suspected disease outbreak among detainees.
“It is an unfortunate incident, however, a full investigation will be conducted while the commandant under whose watch this happened remains suspended,” Tunji-Ojo said.
The minister said the government’s priority remained the protection of lives, adding: “We run a government whose ultimate priority is security of lives and we have worked to stay true to this.”
The Federal Government did not provide further details on the number of people who died, their identities or the immediate circumstances that led to the deaths.
The investigation is expected to establish what happened between the arrests during the September 15 and 16 enforcement operations and the reported deaths in the early hours of Thursday.
Tunji-Ojo appealed to the public to remain calm and law-abiding, and urged Nigerians to allow authorities carry out what he described as a transparent investigation. He also commiserated with Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago and the families of those who died.
The NSCDC, which is supervised by the Interior Ministry, is responsible for protecting critical national assets and infrastructure, supporting law enforcement and maintaining public safety. Illegal mining has remained a major concern in several parts of Nigeria, with authorities frequently carrying out enforcement operations against unauthorised miners.
The government has not announced when the investigation will be concluded or named the officials or agencies that will conduct it.
