Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has demanded answers from President Bola Tinubu and Ministers Dele Alake and Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo over the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State.
Atiku made the demand in a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, arguing that the incident required more than the suspension of some NSCDC personnel.
The former vice president questioned how 37 people who were arrested alive during an operation against suspected illegal mining activities ended up dead while in government custody. He called for an independent criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Atiku specifically questioned the role of Tunji-Ojo, whose Ministry of Interior supervises the NSCDC, and asked Alake to account for the enforcement operations connected to the mining sector. He also said Tinubu, as President, bears responsibility for the conduct of agencies under his administration.
He alleged that survivors had reported that some detainees were held in an overcrowded and poorly ventilated cell where they struggled to breathe. Atiku called for the preservation of detention records, communication logs, medical reports and available surveillance footage, as well as independent autopsies.
The Federal Government has already ordered a comprehensive investigation into the deaths. Tinubu directed that the circumstances surrounding the incident be fully established, while the Ministry of Interior constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the arrests, detention conditions, causes of death and possible responsibility or negligence.
Alake has also deployed a high-powered team from his ministry to Niger State to investigate the incident and ascertain the facts. The minister said the inquiry would work with other investigators and should be transparent and independent.
Atiku said tackling illegal mining was necessary but maintained that enforcement agencies must respect the rights and dignity of people in custody. He urged the government to make the findings of the investigation public and prosecute anyone found responsible based on the evidence.
The exact cause of the deaths has not yet been conclusively established, with authorities saying medical and forensic investigations are required to determine what happened.
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