Families Demand Justice as Questions Mount Over ₦100,000 Payment Following 37 Deaths in NSCDC Custody
Families of some of the 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State are demanding answers and accountability as investigations into the incident continue. The deaths occurred after the suspects were arrested during anti-illegal-mining operations in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16. The incident has generated anger among relatives and residents, with allegations emerging about the conditions under which some of the detainees were held. One relative, Shafa'atu Suleiman, reportedly alleged that families were prevented from taking food to detainees and that officials demanded ₦100,000 for their release. The allegation has not been independently established, and the NSCDC's response to the specific claim was not reported.
The reported allegations have added another dimension to the investigation, which is already examining the circumstances surrounding the arrests, detention and deaths.
Families Seek Accountability
For the affected families, the central issue is not simply financial assistance but understanding what happened to their relatives while they were in government custody. The Federal Government has since inaugurated a 10-member independent investigative committee to establish the identities of the deceased, investigate their arrest and detention, determine the cause and manner of death through medical and forensic examinations, and establish whether negligence, misconduct, complicity or breaches of duty occurred.
The committee, chaired by retired DSS Deputy Director-General Jonathan Kure, has two weeks to submit its report. Niger State has also established a separate judicial commission of inquiry. Its terms of reference include examining the legality of the arrests and detention, the conditions and treatment of the detainees and the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
What Nigerians Are Waiting to Know
The precise cause of the 37 deaths has not yet been conclusively established. Earlier accounts have raised possibilities including overcrowding, poor ventilation, exposure to hazardous substances and illness, but the ongoing investigations are expected to determine what actually happened.
For the families, the investigations therefore carry significance beyond any financial assistance. They are seeking an official explanation of how their relatives died, whether any officers or other persons were responsible, and what measures will prevent similar deaths in custody.