37 Suspected Illegal Miners Die In NSCDC Custody, Commandant Suspended

By Ayodele Oni

Commandant General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC) has approved the suspension of Niger State Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye and his team following the death of 37 suspected illegal miners in custody.

Already, Niger State government has set up an investigative Committee to ascertain the root cause of the deaths of the miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, State Command.

A statement issued by Bologi Ibrahim, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, revealed that the Department of State Security Services, Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have also set up their Committees to unravel the causes.

Deputy Governor of Niger State, Comrade Yakubu Garba is to be the Chairman of the Committee with Commissioner for Homeland security, Maurice Magaji as secretary.

Governor Umaru Bago assured that forensic audit and autopsy will be carried out on the victims to know the exact cause of death and consequently take necessary action.

The governor also disclosed that the Niger State Commandant of the NSCDC, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye and his team have been suspended by the NSCDC Commandant General to pave way for proper investigation.

Bago, who described the incident as unfortunate and tragic, condoled with the families of all those who lost their lives and reassured them that government will get to the root of the matter.

He said, his government value the lives of its citizens and as such, will not tolerate any kind of injustice and will make sure that the incident is probed to a logical conclusion.

The governor equally revealed that the State government is taking a register of families of those who lost their lives, and commiserate with them and appeal to them to be patient with the government as his administration will do its best in finding the remote causes.

Governor Bago also declared that all illegal mining activities around M I Wushishi mining site is closed and anyone found flouting the order will be prosecuted while experts from Abuja will be invited to carry out analysis on the site.

The governor appealled to the residents of the state especially the youth to remain calm and not to take laws into their hands and allow authorities concerned to take charge.