NSCDC detains suspended Niger commandant, 21 officers over deaths of 37 miners

The suspended Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, and 21 other officers have reportedly been detained in Abuja as investigations continue into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the corps’ custody.

A senior NSCDC officer at the corps’ national headquarters disclosed this to Saturday Punch on Friday, saying the affected personnel were summoned to Abuja to assist with the investigation into the incident.

The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the suspended commandant, the arresting officer, the investigating officer and other personnel connected to the incident had arrived in Abuja and were being held in custody.

“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.

The NSCDC spokesperson, Afolabi Babawale, also confirmed that the officers were in custody, although he did not provide further details on the circumstances of their detention.

He said those being questioned included the heads of the corps’ legal, intelligence and mining units, as well as the officer in charge of the facility where the miners were detained.

Babawale added that the head of the NSCDC Intelligence Unit was questioning the affected personnel as part of the ongoing investigation.

“Investigation is ongoing into the matter,” he said.

The development followed growing concerns over the deaths of suspected illegal miners who were arrested and detained by NSCDC personnel in Niger State.

The Federal Government has ordered investigations into the circumstances surrounding the deaths, while the Niger State Commandant and other personnel linked to the incident have faced administrative actions pending the outcome of the probe.

Meanwhile, a survivor of the incident has alleged that the mining site where the affected miners were working belongs to former military Head of State, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

The survivor, Malam Babawo Tudun Nasera, made the allegation while recounting the arrest and subsequent death of his 17-year-old brother, Salim, who was among those detained by NSCDC personnel.

In a video seen by SaharaReporters, Nasera said the miners were arrested at the site and remained in custody for three days before the deaths were discovered.

According to him, the miners were told to stop working at the site, despite what he described as an instruction from the alleged owner that mining activities should continue.

Nasera said when the miners were asked who owned the site, they identified Babangida as the alleged owner.

The allegation has not been independently established, and it is not clear from the account whether the former Head of State personally owns the mining operation, holds a licence or lease over the site, or whether the survivor was referring to another form of connection with the property.

The circumstances surrounding the miners’ deaths remain the subject of ongoing investigations by government authorities.

The authorities are expected to establish the identities of those who died, the circumstances of their arrest and detention, the cause of death and whether any individual or organisation bears responsibility for what happened.

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