President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a full and transparent investigation into the deaths of suspected illegal miners detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.
The suspected miners were arrested during an enforcement operation around Lt. Gen. Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna.
In a statement on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu expressed deep concern over the incident, describing it as a grave matter that requires urgent investigation and accountability.
He said the life of every Nigerian matters and that no citizen should lose his life in government custody as a result of negligence, abuse or inhumane treatment.
“While the Federal Government would continue to combat illegal mining and other criminal activities across the country, enforcement operations must be conducted strictly within the law and with full respect for the dignity and fundamental rights of every person in custody.
“The fact that these individuals were suspected of illegal mining does not in any way remove their right to life, dignity and humane treatment while in government custody. Government will not tolerate mass deaths arising from official negligence, dereliction of duty or failure by public officials to protect the lives placed under their care,” the President said.
President Tinubu directed that where the investigation establishes culpability, any official found to have contributed to the deaths through action, abuse or negligence must be arrested and prosecuted.
He ordered the probe to be comprehensive and unhindered, covering the circumstances of the arrests, the condition of the detainees at the time of arrest, the conditions under which they were detained, the number of persons held in the facility, the medical attention provided, and the events leading to their deaths.
“The suspension of officers is only an administrative step and must not substitute for a proper determination of criminal responsibility where the evidence warrants prosecution,” Tinubu added.
He directed the Ministry of Interior and the NSCDC leadership to cooperate fully with investigators and ensure no officer interfered with the process.
The President extended condolences to the families of the deceased and appealed for calm, assuring that the Federal Government would pursue the truth and take appropriate action.
“We must never allow the pursuit of one form of illegality to create another. The government must enforce the law firmly, but it must also obey the law. The sanctity of human life is non-negotiable,” he said.
