NSCDC DEATHS: NIGER DISSOLVES DEPUTY GOVERNOR-LED PANEL, INAUGURATES JUDICIAL COMMISSION
The Niger State Government has dissolved the fact-finding committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Comrade Yakubu Garba, following the reported deaths of 37 suspected artisanal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.
The development comes as questions continue to surround the circumstances that led to the deaths of the detainees and the events that unfolded while they were in custody.
In place of the dissolved committee, the state government has inaugurated a nine-member Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The commission, headed by a High Court Judge in Niger State, Justice Mohammed Mohammed, is expected to focus on the conduct of the NSCDC officers involved in the matter and not the administrative capabilities of the agency.
At the inauguration, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago urged members of the commission to be fair to all parties and ensure that their findings are based on facts and evidence.
Although the government did not state why the fact-finding committee was dissolved, the panel had already visited the mining site and the cell where the victims reportedly died before briefing the Governor on its findings.
The new commission is expected to provide answers to some of the key questions surrounding the incident, including the circumstances of the arrests, the legality of the detention, the conditions under which the suspects were held and the immediate and underlying causes of the deaths.
It will also examine the treatment of the detainees while in custody and assess the conduct of the affected NSCDC officers before making recommendations on measures that could prevent a recurrence.
Briefing the Governor on the commission’s activities, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Nasiru Mu’azu, acknowledged that the state government has no direct control over the federal security agency.
He, however, maintained that the reported deaths of residents while in the custody of a federal agency warranted an investigation to establish what happened and ensure accountability.
Mu’azu also explained that the constitution of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry was guided by law, addressing concerns over the legal basis for the state government’s action.
Governor Bago gave the commission one month to complete its assignment and submit its report.
Membership of the commission includes representatives of the Nigerian Bar Association, Minna Branch, the Minna Emirate, the State Ministry of Mineral Resources and civil society organisations.
For the families and communities affected, the inquiry is expected to provide answers to the circumstances surrounding the deaths and establish whether any wrongdoing occurred during the arrest, detention or treatment of the deceased.
The commission’s findings could therefore become an important part of efforts to clarify what happened and determine appropriate steps following the deaths.Suggested UKATA hashtags:
#UKATANews #NSCDC #NigerState #NigerStateGovernment #Mining #ArtisanalMining #JudicialCommission #CommissionOfInquiry #PublicAccountability #HumanRights #Justice #Security #IllegalMining #NigeriaNews #Accountability
