37 Artisanal Miners Die in NSCDC Custody as Niger Suspends Commandant, Cancels APC Rally
The deaths of 37 artisanal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in Niger State have triggered a government investigation, the suspension of the state commandant and the cancellation of a planned political rally as authorities move to establish what led to the tragedy.
The NSCDC Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Audi Abubakar, ordered the immediate suspension of the Niger State Commandant, Suberu Siyaka, following the incident involving the miners arrested around the M.I. Wushishi mining site in Minna.
The tragedy has left families and communities facing the painful loss of relatives, with Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago acknowledging the gravity of the incident while appealing to residents not to resort to violence.
The deceased miners, reportedly aged between 10 and above 30 years, were arrested by the NSCDC Mining Marshals during operations around the mining site on September 15 and 16. About 50 persons were reportedly taken into custody, while seven survivors were rushed to the emergency unit of Minna General Hospital.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain subject to investigation. Governor Bago told journalists in Minna that the actual cause would be established through investigations by the NSCDC, other relevant security agencies and a committee set up by the state government.
The Governor announced that the state had constituted a Committee of Enquiry headed by his deputy to investigate the incident and determine what happened to the detainees.
Anger over the deaths has meanwhile spilled into the streets, with youths from the Tunga area, where many of the victims reportedly came from, barricading a major road and damaging the windscreens of vehicles believed to belong to the government.
Bago appealed for calm, urging residents not to take the law into their own hands and assuring the families of the deceased that the government would pursue justice. He also announced that a register would be opened for the victims to enable the government formally identify and visit their families to express its condolences.
As part of measures to prevent another tragedy, the state government has ordered the closure of artisanal mining activities around the M.I. Wushishi mining site and warned that anyone who violates the directive would be arrested.
The incident has also affected the state’s political calendar, with the Niger State Government cancelling the All Progressives Congress, APC, rally scheduled for Saturday in Minna.
In a statement issued through the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, the government said the cancellation was in response to the deaths and announced a three-day mourning period in honour of the victims.
For the affected families, however, the mourning period goes beyond an official declaration, as relatives are left waiting for answers about how their loved ones died while in custody. The government has promised that the ongoing investigations will provide those answers and determine responsibility where wrongdoing is established.
