Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has ordered a transparent probe into the deaths of suspected illegal miners in NSCDC custody in Niger State, while the NSCDC Niger Commandant has been directed to step aside pending the investigation.
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has ordered a transparent and full-scale investigation into the deaths of suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.
The directive followed the deaths of suspects arrested during enforcement operations conducted in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16, 2026.
According to the NSCDC, the deaths were discovered in the early hours of September 17. The Niger State Command initially attributed the incident to a suspected outbreak of disease, although the actual cause of death had not been established and was subject to medical and laboratory examination.
While initial reports put the number of deceased at 33, subsequent reports on Friday put the figure at 37. Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago also said 67 suspected miners had been detained before the deaths occurred. The exact circumstances and cause of the deaths remain under investigation.
The minister’s directive was contained in a statement by the NSCDC spokesperson, Babawale Afolabi, made available on Friday in Abuja.
Tunji-Ojo directed the NSCDC Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Audi, to activate a transparent and unhindered investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
In compliance with the directive, Audi ordered the Niger State Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, and heads of relevant departments to step aside and report to the NSCDC National Headquarters in Abuja to appear before the panel of inquiry.
“The CG has directed the state commandant to report forthwith to HQ alongside his heads of Operations, Mining, Legal, Intelligence and Investigation to face the constituted panel of inquiry,” Afolabi said.
Audi also directed a new commandant to proceed to Niger State and assume office pending the outcome of the investigation.
The NSCDC Commandant General assured the minister that the investigation would be thorough and that any personnel found culpable would face appropriate administrative, disciplinary or criminal sanctions in accordance with existing laws and regulations.
The Federal Government subsequently confirmed the suspension of the Niger State NSCDC commandant pending the outcome of the investigation.
The NSCDC had earlier said the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination to establish the actual cause of death.
Audi reaffirmed the corps’ commitment to protecting the dignity, safety and fundamental rights of persons in its custody.
The investigation is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths, including the condition of the detainees, the conditions under which they were held and the medical attention provided to them.
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