The Niger State Government has pledged to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in the state.
Governor Umaru Bago made the commitment on Sunday during a special prayer organised for the deceased at the Tunga Central Mosque in Minna.
The prayer, led by the Chief Imam of Minna, Jibrin Isah, brought together some relatives of the deceased, government officials, Islamic scholars and other sympathisers.
The clerics prayed for the souls of the deceased and asked God to grant their families the strength to cope with the loss. They also prayed for wisdom for the governor and other state leaders, as well as peace and stability across Niger State and Nigeria.
Addressing journalists after the session, Bago said the government would not overlook any aspect of the incident, promising that the findings of the investigation would be made public.
“We are not going to take anything for granted; we will make sure we probe as deeply as we can to get the real causes of these deaths,” the governor said.
Bago also announced plans to provide palliatives to the affected families as part of efforts to cushion the impact of the deaths.
He said the Minna Emirate Council would oversee the distribution of the assistance to ensure it reached the families concerned.
“The Emir himself will be superintendent over whatever the state government is going to give to the families of the deceased and will also find a way of reaching out to those still in the hospital,” he said.
The governor further disclosed that the curfew imposed on Minna following unrest linked to the deaths would end after Sunday night.
He appealed to residents, especially youths, to avoid actions capable of further escalating tensions and urged them to maintain peace while the investigation continues.
Bago called for calm, saying the authorities needed an atmosphere of peace to determine what led to the deaths and establish the facts surrounding the incident.
