Suspended NSCDC commandant apologises over deaths of suspected illegal miners in Niger

The suspended Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Siaka Zubeiru Anirive, has apologised to the families of suspected illegal miners who died in the corps’ custody and the Niger State Government.

Anirive admitted that the deaths could have been prevented, describing the incident as a costly mistake.

He tendered the apology while giving evidence before the Justice Mohammed Mohammed Commission of Inquiry in Minna, which is investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the detainees.

During the proceedings, it also emerged that the commandant’s legal officer had advised him to release the minors arrested during the operation.

“A mistake has been made, but a very costly one. My apology to the parents of the deceased and to the people and government of Niger State,” he told the commission.

The former commandant also expressed regret that the deaths occurred during his tenure, acknowledging that the incident could have been prevented.

The apology, however, comes amid troubling testimony about the handling of the detainees, including allegations that advice to release minors on bail was ignored and evidence from a medical worker who said one suspect was coughing severely around the time the bodies were being removed from the detention cell.

Testifying before the commission, Anirive said he assumed duty as Niger State NSCDC Commandant on August 25, 2025, and remained in office until September 18, 2026, explaining that the operation at a mining site along the M.I. Wushishi Housing Estate in Minna followed written and oral complaints from residents who alleged that the miners’ activities were disturbing their community.

He said he visited the site on September 15, 2026, and then directed the command’s head of operations, Assistant Commandant of Corps Joha Achagwa, to act on the complaints.

He said the Mining Marshal unit was deployed, leading to the arrest of suspected illegal miners during an operation conducted on the evening of September 16.

However, the following day, detainees in NSCDC custody died.

Anirive told the commission that he received a telephone call informing him that some suspects had died while in detention, adding that he immediately rushed to the command headquarters, where he found several bodies lying on the floor of the cell.

He said he contacted Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago and was directed to arrange for the bodies to be taken to the hospital, disclosing that he also informed the Commissioner of Police and the Director of the Department of State Services about the incident.

The former commandant further told the commission that arrangements were underway to arraign the suspects in court on September 17 before their deaths.

The testimony of the suspended head of the command’s Legal Unit, Assistant Commandant of Corps Stephen Tsado, raised further questions about how the detainees were handled.

Tsado said his responsibilities included preparing case files, forwarding cases for prosecution and advising the commandant on legal matters. He told the commission that after noticing minors among the arrested suspects, he advised Anirive to release them to their parents on bail to protect their rights.

The legal officer said he personally urged the commandant to act on that advice but did not know why it was not followed. “I advised him to grant them bail to their parents,” he said, adding that the minors’ rights should not be violated.

The commission also heard testimony from Nurse Maryam Etang of the NSCDC medical unit, who said she visited the detention cell as part of her routine duties on September 16 and 17. She disclosed that one of the suspects was coughing severely on September 17, while the bodies were being brought out of the cell.

She also told the commission that she was shocked to find the body of Emeka Emmanuel among those removed, saying he was not among the miners arrested during the operation.

The circumstances surrounding Emmanuel’s presence among the bodies raise further questions about the identities of those who died and the events leading to their detention.

The inquiry is also expected to establish the circumstances of the deaths, examine the treatment of detainees and determine whether there were lapses in the handling of those held by the NSCDC.

It would be recalled that in earlier proceedings, a mortician at Minna General Hospital had told the commission that 33 bodies were delivered to the hospital’s mortuary, against the 37 deaths widely reported by the state government and other authorities.

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