In a statement released this week, Niger State Governor Dr. Mohammed Bago said the state government was unaware of the arrest of suspected illegal miners who later died while in custody of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna.
The miners were reportedly apprehended for illegal mining activities, but the governor noted that no information about the arrests was communicated to the state authorities before the deaths occurred. Bago said the state was not involved in the operation and is now investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatalities.
NSCDC, a federal agency tasked with security and civil defence, was the agency that held the miners in custody. The incident has prompted questions about the conditions and procedures used by the agency when detaining individuals.
While the governor has not released further details, he has called for a thorough inquiry into the matter and expressed concern over the lack of coordination between state and federal authorities in such cases.
<small>Source: Punch Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>