Niger Custody De*aths: Interior Minister Sanctions NSCDC Commandant, 20 Others

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo (OH-loo-BOO-mee TOON-jee OH-joh), has ordered the immediate suspension of the Niger (NYE-jer) State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, alongside twenty other officers. This action follows reports that thirty-seven individuals passed away while in the Corps' custody.

The suspensions are provisional, pending the conclusion of an independent investigation into the incidents, which reportedly occurred on Thursday, September seventeenth, twenty twenty-six. The Ministry of Interior officially announced these suspensions on Saturday through a statement signed by the minister himself. This measure complements the establishment of a ten-member independent committee tasked with thoroughly investigating the matter.

According to the ministerial statement, the committee's mandate includes identifying the deceased, reviewing the circumstances of their arrest and detention, and determining the precise cause and conditions surrounding their passing. Furthermore, the committee is directed to ascertain any culpability, negligence, or misconduct, and subsequently recommend appropriate disciplinary actions and compensation where applicable. The Niger State Commandant, Suberu Aniviye (Soo-BEH-roo Ah-nee-VEE-yeh), had already been suspended prior to this broader announcement.

The twenty other personnel placed on suspension are:

Officer in Charge of Station Guard, Senior Commandant Usman Isah Ndamaka (OOS-mahn EE-sah N-dah-MAH-kah)

Station Guard, Assistant Superintendent Hassan Mohammed

Station Guard, Corps Assistant Bala Mohammed

Officer in Charge of Investigation, Chief Superintendent Oluwadare Sunday (Oh-loo-wah-DAH-reh)

Arresting Officer, Deputy Commandant Obafemi Elvis

Arresting Officer, Chief Superintendent Annas Shitto Lamino

Head of Department for Intelligence and Investigation, Deputy Commandant Philip Ajayi

Officer in Charge of Legal, Assistant Commandant Barrister Stephen Tsado (TSAH-doh)

Night Duty Officer, Assistant Superintendent Alhassan Mohammed

Guard Duty Officer, Inspector Abdullahi Sale

Guard Duty Officer, Inspector Mohammed Sonfada

Guard Duty Officer, Corps Assistant Liman Abubakar

Guard Duty Officer, Corps Assistant Bala Usman

Guard Duty Officer, Inspector Mohammed Jiya

Guard Duty Officer, Deputy Superintendent Isah Suleiman

Guard Duty Officer, Corps Assistant Ahmed Wushishi (Woo-SHEE-shee)

Guard Duty Officer, Inspector Sale Adamu

Guard Duty Officer, Inspector Haruna Mohammed

Guard Duty Officer, Assistant Superintendent Aliyu Sallah

Guard Duty Officer, Corps Assistant Isah Sanusi

The thirty-seven individuals were among numerous suspected illegal miners apprehended by the Niger State Command during enforcement operations conducted on September fifteenth and sixteenth in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto (Loo-KOH-toh) areas of the state. The Corps stated that these operations were part of ongoing efforts to combat illicit mining activities, confirming that various items were recovered during the arrests. The day following their apprehension, some of the detainees were found unresponsive within custody in Minna (MEEN-nah).

The Corps initially attributed the situation to a suspected disease outbreak, stating that the bodies had been moved to the General Hospital in Minna for medical examinations to ascertain the exact cause. However, the official cause remains unconfirmed. A survivor, Dauda Shehu (DOW-dah SHEH-hoo), informed journalists that the detainees were confined to a poorly ventilated cell, leading to severe breathing difficulties. Another survivor alleged that an unknown substance was sprayed into an overcrowded cell shortly before some detainees began to collapse.

The incidents triggered widespread protests in Minna, prompting the Niger State Government to impose a curfew to restore order. Governor Umar Bago (OO-mar BAH-go) also acknowledged the situation and initiated a state-level inquiry into the incident. Following these developments, President Bola Tinubu (BOH-lah Tee-NOO-boo) issued a directive for a thorough and comprehensive investigation into the matter.