Niger govt cancels APC rally, suspends NSCDC commandant over deaths of detained illegal mining suspects

The state government also announced the immediate suspension of the NSCDC State Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, and his team to allow for an impartial investigation into the incident.

Governor Mohammed Bago announced the measures on Friday during a press briefing in Minna on the tragic incident.

Mr Bago described the incident as unacceptable and said the government had commenced steps to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

He also announced the constitution of a committee of inquiry to investigate the incident and determine its cause.

Cause of death not yet established

The governor cautioned against drawing conclusions about the cause of the deaths before the completion of forensic and medical examinations.

He said possible causes being considered include suffocation resulting from overcrowding in the detention facility and exposure to hazardous substances allegedly associated with illegal mining.

“There is no official root cause of these deaths yet. It is too early for anybody to draw a conclusion on the root causes,” Mr Bago said.

According to him, forensic examinations, medical assessments, and autopsies were being conducted to establish the scientific cause of death.

Mr Bago said the state government was also compiling a register of the deceased to identify and contact their families.

He assured the victims’ relatives that the government would engage with them and provide the necessary support while the investigation continues.

‘We will probe deeply’

Mr Bago said the government pledged that the investigation would establish what happened.

“Lives of human beings are lives of human beings. Such an unjust government will not tolerate any kind of injustice, and we are going to make sure that we probe this thing deeply until we get to the root of this,” he said.

The governor said that the Director-General of the NSCDC, who is currently outside the country, had delegated his deputy to represent him at engagements related to the incident.

He added that the state government had already met with the senior NSCDC official.

Government urges calm

The governor appealed to youths, and other residents to remain calm and refrain from violence following the incident.

He said the movement of the bodies to a mortuary had heightened emotions among youths, but warned that resorting to violence could worsen the situation.

“We are calling on all the youth to please stay away from violence. It is not going to bring about those who have died. It will rather cost us a lot at the end of the day,” he said.

Mining activities suspended

As part of the government’s measures, Mr Bago ordered the closure of operations at the illegal mining site in the Ema Ushishi area.

He expressed concern over mining activities carried out without adequate technology, safety equipment and protective gear, saying such practices could expose miners to dangerous conditions.

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The governor said the government would take appropriate action once the various investigations establish the facts surrounding the deaths.

He also said the state would continue to coordinate with the NSCDC, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other relevant authorities to determine the cause of the incident and ensure appropriate measures are taken.

Mr Bago commiserated with the families of the deceased and prayed for the repose of the victims’ souls.

The governor declared three days of mourning in the state as part of measures to honour those who died.

He said the cancellation of the APC rally was intended to allow the state to mourn the deceased and focus attention on the ongoing investigation.