The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has directed the immediate suspension of the Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Suberu Aniviye, over the deaths of suspected illegal miners in the state.
Tunji-Ojo also ordered a comprehensive investigation into the incident, which was reportedly recorded around the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto area of Minna, the state capital, in the early hours of Thursday.
The minister’s directive was disclosed in a statement released on Friday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Alao Babatunde.
The statement said the suspected illegal miners were apprehended during enforcement operations carried out across parts of Niger State between September 15 and 16, 2026.
“It is an unfortunate incident, however, a full investigation will be conducted while the commandant under whose watch this happened remains suspended.
“We run a government whose ultimate priority is security of lives and we have worked to stay true to this,” the minister declared.
The minister appealed to residents to remain calm and continue to obey the law as authorities conduct what he described as a transparent investigation.
He also expressed his condolences to Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, as well as the families and relatives of those who died.
Reports indicated that at least 33 suspected illegal miners died while in custody, although the NSCDC has not confirmed a specific number.
The incident had earlier led the NSCDC to set up an investigative panel to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the NSCDC National Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, disclosed that the team would be headed by the Deputy Commandant-General responsible for Intelligence and Investigation and would conduct a thorough inquiry.
The probe was expected to examine the condition of the suspects when they were arrested, the period they spent in custody, the detention environment, medical care provided and other factors connected to the deaths.
The NSCDC also advised the public against drawing conclusions about the cause of the deaths, stressing that claims linking them to a particular disease remained subject to medical and laboratory confirmation.
