Niger Miners’ Deaths: Analyst reacts to calls for immediate sack of NSCDC Boss Audi

A public affairs analyst and transparency advocate, Bilal Galadima, has reacted to calls for the immediate sack of the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, over the deaths of 37 miners and the hospitalisation of others in custody in Niger State.

The deaths of the miners resulted in widespread chaos in Niger State, prompting Governor Mohammed Bago to declare a curfew in the state.

The Federal Government had suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, and set up an independent inquiry committee.

In an interview on Saturday, Bago said the Department of State Services, DSS had taken statements from the discharged survivors.

Meanwhile, a lawyer and human rights activist, Hamza Dantani, had called for the sack of the NSCDC Commandant-General, Audi.

However, Galadima described the call as a distraction, stating that the investigation into the deaths should be allowed to take its full course.

“Instead of this distraction, I call on lawyer Dantani and all well-meaning Nigerians to allow the rule of law to take its full course as we await the outcome of the investigations into this unfortunate incident,” he stated.