One of the survivors of the Niger State mining detention incident, in which 37 people died, has alleged that officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) sprayed a liquid substance before locking them up in their facility.
It was reported that the miners, numbering 67, were arrested on September 15 and 16 by NSCDC operatives over allegations of illegal mining and held in their facility.
The survivor made the revelation when Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago visited them at the state command of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The governor, after receiving the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo on a condolence visit, visited the survivors, during which he asked one of them to narrate how their colleagues died in detention.
The survivor, who did not mention his name, said that after they were arrested and brought to the cell, a liquid substance was sprayed by one of the personnel, causing them to start sneezing and coughing.
“When they brought us to the cell, they sprayed something and locked us up. It was after that that we started coughing and sneezing. But we did not know what they sprayed,” he said.
While receiving the minister at the Government House, Governor Bago said investigation must be thorough, describing the incident as “callous and reckless.”
“We don’t know the real causes of this, but they could just be two. The first one, from the report we have, is that 67 people were arrested and detained in the Civil Defence cell at their office. And some of the people that survived have claimed that it was suffocation and dehydration.
“On the surface, the forensic revealed from hospital and mortuary indicated that some of the corpses had foams in their mouths with blood stains, and parts of their skins were peeling. So, we cannot rule out methane or lead poisoning.
“However, there is the need for proper investigation of the root cause of this. We want to thank you for immediately suspending the state commandant who gave the order for these arrests and detained people for more than 24 hours in the cell and in that number. That was callous and reckless. Also, even the officers that were on duty, after hearing the scream from the people in the cell to say that they were dying, kept deaf ears to those pleas; and we woke up to a very sad thing,” he said
Government imposes curfew as protesters destroy property
Following attacks on public and private assets by angry youths protesting over the incident, Governor Bago yesterday imposed a 12-hour curfew in Minna to forestall further breaches of law and order.
Weekend Trust reports that at least 17 buses belonging to the Niger State Transport Authority, as well as buses belonging to Kano Line and other commercial operators, were destroyed in the Tunga area of Minna.
The governor announced the curfew when he received the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo on a condolence visit.
The governor said the curfew, which begins yesterday, would run from 6pm to 6am to check attacks on public and private assets by protesters.
He said the state’s transport company’s buses and the All Progressives Congress (APC) offices had been destroyed, adding that “vandals are taking over the street and there is need for us to curtail this so that we can have calm in the society.”
Bago said the victims who died were between the ages of 14 and 18.
The governor also announced a ban on mining in the state and directed all miners to stay off their sites.
He urged citizens to exercise restraint and assured them that the government would get to the root causes of the incident to prevent a recurrence.
He said the activities of illegal mining were taking a toll on schoolchildren, leading to dropouts.
The Minister of Interior, accompanied by the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, described the incident as unfortunate.
He said the president was concerned about the incident, adding that it could stain the progress and efforts of the government at both the state and federal levels.
While assuring that the incident would not happen again, Tunji-Ojo said his ministry would do everything possible to ensure that justice was served.
Meanwhile, some parents of the victims have demanded compensation to serve as a deterrent to other law enforcement personnel against such acts.
A 50-year-old man, Musa Aliyu, who has been sick for the past one year, said he lost two of his children: Ibrahim (17) and Abubakar (12) in the incident.
“These children have helped me to sustain my medication. They contribute money to buy drugs for me. I leave the killers of my children with Allah,” he said while struggling to control his tears.
Tinubu, northern governors, ministers demand probe
Meanwhile, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a full and transparent investigation into the death of the miners. This was disclosed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy in a statement on Friday.
President Tinubu stated that the life of every Nigerian mattered and no citizen should lose his life while in government custody as a “result of negligence, abuse, inhumane treatment or dereliction of duty.”
At least 37 suspected miners under detention were said to have lost their lives in Niger State.
Onanuga quoted President Tinubu as expressing deep concern over the incident, describing the development as a grave matter that requires urgent investigation and accountability.
“While the federal government would continue to combat illegal mining and other criminal activities across the country, enforcement operations must be conducted strictly within the law and with full respect for the dignity and fundamental rights of every person in custody.
“The fact that these individuals were suspected of illegal mining does not in any way remove their right to life, dignity and humane treatment while in government custody. The government will not tolerate mass deaths arising from official negligence, dereliction of duty or failure by public officials to protect the lives placed under their care.
“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,” the president stated.
While appealing for calm among the families and communities affected by the tragedy, assuring that the federal government would pursue the truth and take appropriate action based on credible evidence, President Tinubu added: “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.”
Tinubu directed the relevant authorities to ensure that the investigation is comprehensive, transparent and unhindered, covering the circumstances of the arrests, the condition of the detainees when they were taken into custody, the conditions under which they were detained, the number of persons held in the facility, the medical attention provided and the events leading to their deaths.
“The suspension of officers is only an administrative step and must not substitute a proper determination of criminal responsibility where the evidence warrants prosecution,” the president said.
He directed the Ministry of Interior and the NSCDC leadership to cooperate fully with all relevant investigative authorities and ensure that no officer interferes with the process or attempts to frustrate the establishment of the truth.
In the same vein, the Northern Nigeria Governors Forum (NNGF) has called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances that led to the tragic death of 37 persons, who were arrested on suspicion of illegal mining activities and subsequently died while in the custody of the NSCDC in Niger State.
A statement issued Friday on behalf of his colleagues, the chairman of the Forum and fovernor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, noted that the loss of so many lives, particularly while the victims were in custody, was a matter of grave concern to the NNGF.
He expressed deep grief and strong concern over the incident and urged the relevant authorities to establish the facts and determine what happened before, during and after the victims were taken into custody.
Governor Yahaya added that the investigation should be allowed to run its full course and should address all relevant questions.
He conveyed the NNGF condolences to the government and people of Niger State, as well as the families and loved ones of the deceased, describing the incident as a deeply distressing national tragedy that demands responsible action.
He stressed that regardless of the circumstances surrounding their arrest, every human life is valuable and must be treated with dignity and protected in accordance with the law.
“We must allow the facts to emerge through a credible investigation. The families of the deceased deserve answers, and Nigerians deserve clarity on the circumstances surrounding this painful tragedy,” he said.
The governor commended the authorities for initiating investigations and urged all relevant agencies to ensure that the process is comprehensive, transparent and capable of establishing the truth.
He also urged calm and restraint among residents, particularly the families and communities affected by the tragedy, stressing that justice and accountability are best served when investigations are allowed to proceed without interference.
On his part, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake called for an investigation into the deaths of persons detained in Minna, Niger State, over alleged illegal mining activities.
Alake made the call in a statement on Friday while expressing condolences to the Niger State Government and families of the deceased.
The minister said he had deployed a high-powered team of officials to the state to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths and establish what happened.
“Given the allegation that the detained persons were arrested on suspicion of carrying out illegal mining, I have deployed a high-powered team of officials to Niger State to investigate the circumstances and ascertain the facts of the matter,” Alake said.
He said the team would work with other investigators to produce a comprehensive report on the incident.
The minister also commended Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago for declaring a period of mourning and establishing an investigative framework to uncover the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Alake said a “thorough, transparent and independent inquiry” was necessary to ensure accountability and prevent a recurrence of similar incidents in detention and correctional facilities.
He expressed sympathy to the bereaved families and communities affected by the deaths, saying, “The loss of any life is a deeply painful occurrence, and a tragedy of this magnitude affects us all.”
