Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has demanded an independent criminal investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State. In a statement released on Saturday, Abubakar criticized the Federal Government’s initial response, arguing that the suspension of junior officers is insufficient to address the accountability questions surrounding the tragedy.
Abubakar specifically challenged President Bola Tinubu, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake. He stated that Tunji-Ojo bears direct responsibility because the NSCDC falls under his ministry’s supervision, while noting that President Tinubu cannot distance himself from the conduct of agencies within his administration. “The Tinubu administration cannot explain away 37 bodies with press releases, suspensions and bureaucratic excuses,” Abubakar said, emphasizing that many of the victims were teenagers who entered custody alive.
The former Vice President rejected the notion that an internal inquiry would be adequate, insisting that government officials should not be left to investigate their own agents. He called for the preservation of all detention registers, operational records, medical reports, and surveillance footage, as well as independent autopsies. Abubakar also demanded that the victims’ families be provided with legal representation and that the final findings be made public, with those found responsible prosecuted regardless of their rank or political connections.
“Illegal mining is robbing Nigeria of its resources, destroying communities and threatening national security. It must be confronted firmly. But fighting illegal mining is not a licence for state agents to arrest citizens alive and return their bodies to their families,” Abubakar stated.
Abubakar drew a parallel to the 2014 Nigeria Immigration Service recruitment tragedy, in which at least 16 job seekers died. He questioned why the standard of accountability has changed, noting that the supervising minister in that case, Abba Moro, was subsequently investigated and prosecuted. “Why should the standard be different today?” he asked, urging that the current probe establish criminal responsibility wherever evidence of wrongdoing exists.
In response to the incident, the Federal Government has suspended 20 NSCDC officers and constituted a 10-member panel to investigate the deaths following President Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive probe. The official cause of death has not yet been established, with forensic examinations and autopsies currently ongoing. Abubakar’s statement, signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, concluded with a demand for truth, accountability, and justice for all 37 victims.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
