The Federal Government has sent a team of mining and technical experts to Niger State to assist in the investigation of the deaths of 37 illegal mining suspects in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna.
The development comes amid widening investigations into the deaths, with the Niger State Government, NSCDC, Nigeria Police Force and other relevant agencies conducting separate inquiries into the incident.
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The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development said the experts were deployed to establish the facts surrounding the incident and determine whether activities at the mining sites or other factors contributed to the deaths.
The permanent secretary of the ministry, Faruk Yabo, who led a federal government delegation to Niger State on behalf of the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed this during a visit to Governor Mohammed Bago and families of the deceased.
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Mr Yabo said the team would conduct a detailed investigation covering the circumstances before, during and after the detention of the victims.
He said the investigation would produce a report on what happened to the deceased.
Mr Yabo described the incident as tragic and unacceptable, stressing that mining activities should contribute to the welfare and development of Nigerians rather than result in loss of lives.
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“I extend the deepest condolences of the minister and ministry to the governor, his cabinet, and the people, especially the families of the victims of this highly tragic incident,” he said.
“This is totally an unacceptable situation. Mining should be for the good of all and not a basis to lose lives.”
Cause of deaths yet to be established
Receiving the federal delegation, Governor Bago said it was too early to reach a definitive conclusion on the cause of the deaths.
He, however, said investigators were examining possible suffocation arising from overcrowding, as well as exposure to hazardous substances associated with mining activities.
The governor said the state government had ordered forensic and medical examinations, including autopsies, to establish the scientific cause of the deaths.
The deaths have prompted investigations by multiple government and security agencies, with authorities seeking to establish the circumstances surrounding the miners’ deaths while they were in NSCDC custody.
NSCDC officials suspended
Meanwhile, the NSCDC Commandant in Niger State, Suberu Aniviye, and members of his team have been suspended to allow for an unhindered investigation into the incident.
The NSCDC national leadership has also constituted a high-powered panel to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The panel is expected to examine the condition of the detainees at the time of their arrest, their period in custody, the conditions under which they were detained and the medical attention provided to them.
The incident has generated public concern and protests in parts of Minna, prompting authorities to appeal for calm and urge residents not to take the law into their own hands.
READ ALSO: Niger govt cancels APC rally, suspends NSCDC commandant over deaths of detained illegal mining suspects
Niger suspends mining activities
Governor Bago has also announced the suspension of mining activities across Niger State pending the outcome of the investigations.
The governor said the incident should serve as a wake-up call to stakeholders in the mining sector on the need to strengthen regulation and ensure that the protection of human lives remains central to efforts to tackle illegal mining.
He said the state government would continue to cooperate with federal agencies and other relevant authorities to establish the facts surrounding the deaths and ensure appropriate action based on the findings.
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