Miners’ Deaths in Niger: FG Suspends NSCDC Commandant, Launches Investigation

The Federal Government has suspended the Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Suberu Aniviye, following the deaths of several suspected illegal miners while in custody.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordered the immediate suspension of the commandant and directed a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Thursday around the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis of Minna, the Niger State capital.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Alao Babatunde.

According to the statement, the suspected illegal miners were arrested during enforcement operations carried out across parts of Niger State on September 15 and 16, 2026.

The minister described the deaths as unfortunate and said the commandant under whose supervision the suspects were detained would remain suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.

“It is an unfortunate incident, however, a full investigation will be conducted while the commandant under whose watch this happened remains suspended,” Tunji-Ojo said.

The minister reiterated that protecting lives and ensuring security remained a major priority of the Federal Government.

He appealed to residents and other members of the public to remain calm and law-abiding while the authorities conduct the investigation.

Tunji-Ojo also commiserated with Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago and the families and relatives of the deceased.

The exact number of people who died remains unclear. Reports had put the number of suspected illegal miners who died in custody at no fewer than 33, while the NSCDC had not provided a specific official figure.

The deaths had earlier prompted the NSCDC leadership to establish an investigative team to determine what happened and identify the circumstances that may have contributed to the deaths.

The NSCDC National Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, said in a statement on Thursday that the investigative panel was headed by the Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation.

According to Afolabi, the team was mandated to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the incident, including examining the physical condition of the suspects when they were arrested, the period they spent in custody and the conditions under which they were detained.

The investigation was also expected to establish whether the suspects received medical attention during their detention and to examine other factors that could have contributed to the deaths.

The NSCDC had cautioned against speculation regarding the cause of the deaths, particularly reports linking them to a specific disease.

The corps stressed that such claims could not be conclusively established without medical and laboratory examinations.

The Federal Government’s decision to suspend the Niger State commandant has now placed the incident under a broader official investigation, with authorities expected to establish the immediate and underlying circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The outcome of the investigation could determine whether there were operational, administrative, custodial or other lapses in the handling of the suspects before their deaths.