IGP Disu Meets Niger Governor Over Death of 37 Suspected Illegal Miners

Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has met with Niger State Governor Umaru Bago over the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna.

In a post on the Nigeria Police Force’s X page, the IGP said he visited the Niger State Government House, Minna, where he was received by Governor Bago and commiserated with the state over the incident.

Disu assured the governor that the circumstances surrounding the deaths would be thoroughly and transparently investigated.

The development comes as authorities intensify efforts to establish the cause of the deaths and restore calm following protests in parts of Minna. Governor Bago has constituted a committee of inquiry, while the police and other security agencies are also investigating the incident.

The deaths occurred after scores of suspected illegal miners were arrested during enforcement operations around the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto area of Minna on September 15 and 16.

The NSCDC initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak but said the actual cause had not been conclusively established. Medical examinations, forensic investigations and autopsies are being conducted to determine what happened.

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The incident has triggered protests and unrest in Minna, with reports of damage to public and private property. In response, Governor Bago imposed a 24-hour curfew across the state capital, effective immediately after Friday’s Jumu’ah prayers.

The governor directed residents to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary movement, while security agencies were ordered to enforce the curfew and protect lives and property.

Bago had earlier described the deaths as “sad” and “tragic”, stressing that the cause had not yet been established.

“The most important is that people died in the custody of the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps. They were detained in their cells, and this morning we woke up to the news that 37 of them had died,” the governor said.

He also said possible causes being investigated included overcrowding and exposure to hazardous substances associated with illegal mining.

“There is no official root cause of these deaths yet. It is too early for anybody to conclude the root causes,” Bago said.

The Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, and members of his team have been suspended to allow for an impartial investigation into the incident.

TVC News also reported that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has also ordered a full and transparent investigation, insisting that the circumstances surrounding the deaths must be established and that any official found culpable should face prosecution.