President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed that any official found responsible for the deaths of suspected illegal miners in NSCDC custody in Niger State be arrested and prosecuted.
The President gave the directive on Friday while ordering a full and transparent investigation into the incident, which claimed the lives of 37 detainees.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu described the deaths as a grave matter that requires accountability.
No Nigerian Should Die in Custody
Tinubu said every Nigerian life is valuable and that no citizen should lose their life in government custody due to negligence, abuse, inhumane treatment or dereliction of duty.
“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 said.
He stressed that suspected involvement in illegal mining does not remove a person’s right to life, dignity and humane treatment.
Comprehensive Investigation Ordered
The President directed investigators to examine the circumstances surrounding the arrests, the health condition of the detainees before detention, the conditions inside the facility, medical attention provided and the events leading to the deaths.
Tinubu also warned that the suspension of officials should not replace criminal investigations where evidence supports prosecution.
“The suspension of officers is only an administrative step and must not substitute for a proper determination of criminal responsibility where the evidence warrants prosecution,” he said.
Government, NSCDC Directed to Cooperate
Tinubu instructed the Ministry of Interior and the leadership of the NSCDC to cooperate fully with investigators and ensure that no official interferes with the process.
The deaths occurred after suspected illegal miners were arrested during operations in the Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago earlier confirmed that 37 detainees died in custody, while medical examinations, autopsies and forensic investigations continue to determine the exact cause.
The Federal Government had earlier suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, and ordered a full inquiry into the incident.
Tinubu appealed for calm among affected communities and assured Nigerians that justice would be pursued.
“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,” the President said.
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