The suspended Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Suberu Aniviye, and 21 other officers have been detained in Abuja over the deaths of 37 suspected illegal gold miners in the state.
The affected personnel were summoned to the NSCDC national headquarters in Abuja on Friday and subsequently detained as investigations into the incident commenced.
A senior NSCDC officer at the national headquarters, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the development.
“As I am talking to you, the suspended commandant, the arresting officer, the investigation officer, and all other personnel involved in the incident are currently in custody. They arrived in Abuja today (Friday),” the officer said.
NSCDC spokesperson, Afolabi Babawale, also confirmed that the suspended commandant and other personnel were “in custody.”
Babawale said those detained included the heads of the legal, intelligence and mining units, as well as the officer in charge of the cell where the suspected illegal miners were held.
He said the officers were being interrogated by the head of the corps’ intelligence unit.
“Investigation is ongoing into the matter,” he added.
The development followed the suspension of Aniviye by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, pending the outcome of a full investigation into the deaths.
Tunji-Ojo said, “A full investigation will be conducted while the commandant under whose watch this happened remains suspended.”
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, also said a “high-powered team” had been deployed to Niger State to investigate the incident.
Alake said the team would ascertain the facts surrounding the deaths, stressing the need for a transparent and independent inquiry to establish accountability and prevent a recurrence in detention and correctional facilities.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, also pledged police involvement in the investigation.
Disu, who spoke at the Niger State Government House in Minna during a condolence visit on Friday, said the police would collaborate with the NSCDC and the state government in investigating the incident.
He described deaths in custody as a serious matter within the purview of the Nigeria Police Force.
“Cases of death while in custody is a very serious one and falls under the confines of the Nigeria Police Force, wherever it happens. Most especially this that have 37 victims,” he said.
The investigation is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths, including the conditions under which the detainees were held and the medical attention provided to them before their deaths.
