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The Federal Government has constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the deaths of 37 people held by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Niger State Command, on suspicion of illegal mining.
The action follows a directive by President Bola Tinubu for a comprehensive, transparent and unhindered investigation into the incident, which occurred on Thursday, September 17.
Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who announced the committee in a Saturday statement, also ordered the suspension of 20 NSCDC officers over the incident pending the conclusion of investigation.
Describing the deaths as deeply disturbing, Tunji-Ojo said the government owes the families of the deceased and the Nigerian public a transparent account of events leading to the incident.
According to the statement, the committee is expected to establish the identities of the deceased and investigate their arrests, detention and the cause and circumstances of their deaths.
It is also mandated to determine responsibility, complicity, negligence and misconduct, and to recommend appropriate action, compensation where applicable, and measures to prevent a recurrence.
The committee is chaired by a retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Mr Jonathan Kure, with Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, former Director-General of the Nigeria Law School, serving as Secretary.
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Other members are retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Hosea Hassan Karma, Professor of Histopathology and former Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital Olayinka Buhari, a representative of the Minna Emirate Council, a representative of the Niger State Government, National Secretary of the Miners Association of Nigeria Alhaji Liman Sulaiman, lawyer and human rights activist Deji Adeyanju, Mrs Zainab Suleiman Okino of Blueprint Newspaper, and public affairs analyst Dr. George Agbakahi.
The minister directed the NSCDC leadership and all relevant officers to cooperate fully with the committee and to preserve and make available all records and material evidence connected to the incident, warning that any attempt to destroy or conceal evidence, intimidate witnesses or obstruct the investigation would be treated as a serious offence.
The minister said the committee may co-opt relevant experts, access all necessary facilities and documents, visit relevant locations and request memoranda from members of the public, and has two weeks to complete its work and submit its report to the Minister.
The Minister also announced the suspension of 20 other NSCDC officers in addition to the Niger State Commandant of the Corps.
They include the Officer in Charge of Station Guard, SC Usman Isah Ndamaka, Station Guards ASCI Hassan Mohammed and CCA Bala Mohammed, arresting officers CSC Oluwadare Sunday who is also Officer in Charge of Investigation, DCC Obafemi Elvis and CSC Annas Shitto Lamino, Head of Department Intelligence and Investigation DCC Philip Ajayi, Officer in Charge of Legal ACC Barr. Stephen Tsado, Day and Night Duty Officer ASCI Alhassan Mohammed.
Also suspended are eleven guard duty officers identified as IC Abdullahi Sale, IC Mohammed Sonfada, CAI Liman Abubakar, CAI Bala Usman, IC Mohammed Jiya, DSC Isah Suleiman, CAI Ahmed Wushishi, IC Sale Adamu, IC Haruna Mohammed, ASCI Aliyu Sallah and CAI Isah Sanusi.
The minister extended condolences to the families of the deceased and appealed for calm while the investigation continues.
