The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has ordered the immediate suspension of the Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, following the deaths of suspected illegal miners held in custody.
The suspension was announced after detainees arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining in Niger State were found dead.
The Federal Government has also ordered a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Disputed death toll and cause
There is a discrepancy in early reports over the number of people who died.
Reuters reported that at least 33 detainees were found dead after being arrested during operations targeting suspected illegal gold mining around the Wushishi-Lukoto area. The news agency said the cause of death had not been established and that medical examinations were expected to determine what happened.
Associated Press, citing Nigerian officials, reported a higher figure of 37 deaths and said authorities initially attributed the deaths to a possible disease outbreak. However, a survivor told AP that the detainees had been held in an overcrowded, poorly ventilated cell and suggested that suffocation may have been involved. That account has not been established as the cause of death.
The conflicting accounts underscore the importance of the investigation and medical examinations before a definitive cause or death toll can be established.
Minister orders commandant to step aside
Tunji-Ojo ordered Aniviye’s immediate suspension pending the outcome of the investigation.
The Interior Ministry described the incident as unfortunate and said a full investigation would be conducted while the commandant remained suspended.
The detainees had reportedly been arrested during security operations targeting suspected illegal mining activities in the Wushishi-Lukoto area between September 15 and 16.
The deaths subsequently triggered protests in Minna, the Niger State capital, with residents demanding accountability and justice.
Reuters reported that protesters damaged vehicles during demonstrations on Thursday night before security forces were deployed and the situation became calmer by Friday morning.
Investigation to determine what happened
The deaths have raised questions about detention conditions, medical care and the circumstances surrounding the arrests and subsequent deaths.
The authorities have yet to establish a definitive public account of what caused the deaths.
The investigation will therefore be central to determining whether the deaths resulted from illness, conditions in detention, or another cause, and whether any officials or institutions should bear responsibility.
The suspension of the Niger State NSCDC commandant is an administrative step pending the outcome of that process and should not, by itself, be treated as a finding of wrongdoing.