The Coalition of Civil Societies for Transparency and Accountability has urged Nigerians to remain calm and allow ongoing investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the death of 37 suspected illegal miners while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State.
The coalition’s National Coordinator, Bilal Galadima, in a statement on Sunday, expressed sympathy with the families of the deceased and said demands for accountability should be guided by the findings of the investigation rather than conclusions reached before the facts are established.
The 37 persons died after suspected illegal miners were arrested during NSCDC operations in Niger State on September 15 and 16. More than 50 suspects were reportedly taken into custody, with the deaths subsequently triggering public outrage and demands for a transparent investigation. The precise cause of the deaths has not yet been conclusively established.
Following the incident, the Federal Government constituted a 10-member independent investigative committee on the directive of President Bola Tinubu. The committee is mandated to establish the identities of the deceased, examine the circumstances of their arrest and detention, determine the cause of their deaths and identify any responsibility, negligence or misconduct. It has two weeks to submit its report.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, also ordered the suspension of officers connected with the incident pending the outcome of the investigation. Twenty officers were suspended in addition to the Niger State Commandant of the NSCDC. The government further directed that all records and evidence relating to the incident be preserved.
Galadima said the coalition supports accountability for anyone eventually found responsible but cautioned against demands for the immediate removal of NSCDC Commandant-General Ahmed Audi before investigators establish the chain of responsibility.
According to the coalition, information that the Niger State Commandant did not inform the Commandant-General about the arrest of the suspected miners makes it necessary for investigators to determine how the operation was conducted, who was responsible for the detainees and whether established procedures were followed.
The group therefore argued that calls for the removal of the Commandant-General were premature, stressing that attention should instead remain on uncovering the facts and ensuring that anyone found culpable faces the consequences prescribed by law.
Meanwhile, accounts concerning what caused the deaths have differed. Survivors have alleged that the detainees were held in an overcrowded and poorly ventilated cell and struggled to breathe, while the NSCDC initially referred to a suspected disease outbreak. Medical examinations, autopsies and official investigations are underway to determine the actual cause.
The coalition appealed to the families of the deceased, residents of Niger State and other Nigerians to allow the investigative process to run its course while demanding a transparent outcome.
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