“It Was Avoidable”: Suspended Commandant Seeks Forgiveness Over Deaths Of 37 Miners

By MAPHOSA AGUSE

Commandant Seeks Forgiveness

THE suspended Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Suberu Aniviye, has apologised to the families of 37 suspected illegal miners who died in the agency’s custody in Minna.

Aniviye offered the apology while testifying before a panel investigating the deaths, according to the Nigerian Television Authority. He described the incident as a costly mistake that could have been avoided and appealed to the bereaved families for forgiveness.

His testimony came during the panel’s second sitting, chaired by Justice Mohammed Mohammed. The inquiry is examining the circumstances surrounding the arrests, the suspects’ detention and the events that led to their deaths.

How the Arrests Unfolded

Explaining the operation, Aniviye said residents around the M.I. Wushishi Housing Estate had complained about mining activities in their communities. He said he visited the site on 15 September before deploying mining marshals to arrest the suspected illegal miners the following evening, 16 September.

However, the operation took a tragic turn the next day. Aniviye told the panel that he learnt about the deaths through a telephone call on 17 September.

According to his testimony, he returned to the command’s office and found the bodies lying on the floor of a detention cell. He said he subsequently informed Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago, who directed that the bodies be taken to a mortuary.

The suspended commandant also said he contacted the state Commissioner of Police and the Director of the State Security Service after learning about the incident. He added that the suspects had been scheduled to appear in court on 17 September before they died.

Nevertheless, the cause of the deaths has not been conclusively established in the information available from the proceedings.

Other Officers Give Evidence

Two other NSCDC personnel also appeared before the panel. They were Stephen Tsado, the state command’s legal officer, and Maryam Etang, a nurse attached to its medical unit.

Their testimonies form part of the inquiry into the arrests, detention conditions and deaths. After the sitting, Justice Mohammed led other panel members to the mortuary at Minna General Hospital, where the bodies were kept.

The judge disclosed that three bodies remained unclaimed as of Thursday. Consequently, the identification of all the deceased and arrangements for their burial remained unresolved.

Government Orders Investigation

The deaths followed enforcement operations around the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Minna on 15 and 16 September. Although initial reports put the death toll at 33, the Niger State Government later confirmed that 37 suspects had died.

The incident triggered public concern and demands for accountability. In response, the federal government suspended Aniviye and ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

It also established a 10-member independent committee chaired by Jonathan Kure, a retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services. The committee began its work in September, visiting relevant locations, interviewing survivors and bereaved families, and collecting statements and other evidence.

On 7 October, Kure said the committee had identified issues requiring further scrutiny, including possible institutional breakdown, overzealousness and inadequate personnel training. He added that the committee had requested an extension until 21 October to review evidence and obtain outstanding forensic and pathology reports.

Meanwhile, the committee’s medical team has been working to determine the cause, mechanism and manner of the deaths. Its final findings are expected to clarify what happened and whether any officers or other individuals should face responsibility.

Federal Government Announces Support

On 5 October, Vice-President Kashim Shettima visited Minna and announced a federal government donation of ₦250 million to support the bereaved families.

The intervention followed other relief measures announced after the tragedy. However, financial assistance does not resolve the central questions surrounding how the suspects died and whether any failures contributed to the incident.

As the inquiry continues, the deaths have renewed concerns about the treatment of suspects in custody, the conduct of enforcement operations and accountability within security agencies.

Ultimately, the panel’s findings will be crucial to establishing the facts, identifying any individual or institutional failures and recommending measures to prevent a similar tragedy.