…NCYP says enforcement against illegal mining must respect human life and due process
By Danjuma Amodu
The Northern Christian Youth Professionals (NCYP) has demanded a thorough, transparent and credible investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected young miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.
The group said the circumstances surrounding the deaths required urgent clarification, particularly because the victims died after being arrested and detained by a government security agency.
The suspected miners were among scores of people arrested by the NSCDC during enforcement operations against illegal mining in the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto area of Niger State on September 15 and 16. The Corps said the operation was aimed at tackling illegal mining and resulted in the recovery of various exhibits.
The deaths were reported in the early hours of September 17, shortly after the arrests. The Niger State NSCDC Command initially said the detainees died following a suspected disease outbreak and that their remains had been deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination. The national headquarters subsequently cautioned that no specific disease had been established as the cause of death pending medical and laboratory examinations.
However, reports have also raised questions about the conditions under which the suspects were detained. A survivor, Dauda Shehu, told international news agencies that detainees were held in an overcrowded and poorly ventilated cell and alleged that some struggled to breathe. Those claims remain subject to investigation and medical findings.
The incident has since triggered separate official investigations. Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago confirmed the death of 37 detainees, described the incident as tragic and constituted a committee of inquiry to establish what happened. The state government also ordered forensic examinations and autopsies to determine the cause of death.
At the federal level, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordered a full-scale investigation into the incident, while the NSCDC Commandant-General, Prof Ahmed Abubakar Audi, directed the Niger State Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, to step aside and report to the Corps headquarters as the investigation proceeds.
The Niger State Police Command has also commenced a separate investigation into the deaths. The development has generated public concern and protests in Minna, with authorities appealing for calm as investigations continue.
Against this backdrop, NCYP National Chairman, Isaac Abrak, and the organisation’s Niger State Coordinator, Hakeem Kimo, said the number of lives lost and the fact that the victims were in government custody made a comprehensive inquiry imperative.
“We welcome the steps already taken by the Niger State Government under the leadership of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago and the NSCDC to investigate the incident, including the investigative team constituted by the NSCDC,” the group said.
NCYP also welcomed the Federal Government’s directive for a full investigation, but urged the authorities to ensure that the process is comprehensive, transparent and capable of establishing individual and institutional responsibility where applicable.
The group called on the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake; Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; the Niger State Government and the NSCDC to ensure that investigators examine every relevant aspect of the incident.
According to NCYP, this should include the circumstances surrounding the arrests, the condition of the detainees when they were taken into custody, the number of people held in the facility, the conditions of detention, the medical attention available to them and the precise cause and circumstances of each death.
“Given the number of lives lost and the fact that the victims were in government custody, NCYP believes that nothing short of a comprehensive, transparent and credible investigation will be sufficient,” it said.
The group acknowledged the government’s responsibility to combat illegal mining and protect Nigeria’s mineral resources, but stressed that enforcement must be carried out within the framework of the law.
“Enforcement of our laws must always be accompanied by respect for human life, due process and the fundamental rights of persons in government custody,” NCYP said.
The incident has also renewed attention on the wider challenge of illegal mining in Niger State and other parts of Nigeria. Authorities have intensified operations against unlicensed mining, while government officials and security agencies have linked illegal mining in some areas to environmental degradation, destruction of farmland and, more broadly, insecurity and criminal networks.
NCYP said the national response to illegal mining should therefore address both the protection of Nigeria’s mineral resources and the welfare and legal rights of people apprehended during enforcement operations.
It called for the findings of the various investigations to be made public and for any person or institution found responsible for negligence, misconduct or violation of the law to face appropriate consequences.
The organisation also urged the authorities to provide the families of the deceased with full information about the circumstances surrounding the deaths of their loved ones.
It extended its condolences to the bereaved families and said the tragedy should serve as a reminder that the enforcement of laws must remain consistent with the protection of human dignity.
“The fight against illegal mining must be firm, but it must never come at the expense of the sanctity of human life,” NCYP said.
