By Bola Olamide
The Federal Government has constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the deaths of 37 people detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State over alleged illegal mining.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the probe on Saturday, following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive, transparent and unhindered investigation into the incident, which occurred on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
Tunji-Ojo also ordered the suspension of all officers allegedly connected to the incident pending the outcome of the investigation.
Describing the deaths as “deeply disturbing,” the minister said the government owed the families of the deceased and Nigerians a transparent account of the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The committee, chaired by a retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, is expected to establish the identities of the deceased and investigate their arrest, detention and the cause and circumstances of their deaths.
It will also determine issues of responsibility, complicity, negligence and misconduct, and recommend appropriate sanctions, compensation where applicable, as well as measures to prevent a recurrence.
Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN, former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, will serve as secretary of the committee.
Other members include retired AIG Hosea Hassan Karma; Prof. Olayinka Buhari, a professor of Histopathology and former Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital; representatives of the Minna Emirate Council and Niger State Government; National Secretary of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Liman Sulaiman; lawyer and human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju; Blueprint Newspaper’s Mrs Zainab Suleiman Okino; and public affairs analyst, Dr George Agbakahi.
The committee has two weeks to complete its assignment and submit its report to the minister.
It may also co-opt relevant experts, access facilities and documents, visit locations connected to the incident and invite memoranda from members of the public.
The minister directed the NSCDC leadership and all officers concerned to cooperate fully with the investigation and ordered that all records and material evidence relating to the incident be preserved and made available to the panel.
He warned that any attempt to destroy or conceal evidence, intimidate witnesses or obstruct the investigation would be treated as a serious offence.
In addition to the Niger State Commandant of the NSCDC, 20 officers have been suspended over the incident.
Those suspended include the officer in charge of the Station Guard, SC Usman Isah Ndamaka; Station Guard officers ASCI Hassan Mohammed and CCA Bala Mohammed; Arresting Officer/OIC Investigation, CSC Oluwadare Sunday; Arresting Officers DCC Obafemi Elvis and CSC Annas Shitto Lamino; HOD INT/INV, DCC Philip Ajayi; O/C Legal, ACC Barr. Stephen Tsado; and Day/Night Duty Officer, ASCI Alhassan Mohammed.
Also suspended are 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.
Tunji-Ojo expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and appealed to the public to remain calm while the investigation is ongoing.
