The Peter Obi Media Office says the minister of solid minerals, Dele Alake, is diverting attention from accountability after 37 suspected illegal miners died while in custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State. The media office framed the minister’s public comments about Peter Obi’s record in Anambra State as a political distraction from questions about the deaths and the wider safety failings in the mining sector.
Federal authorities have established a 10-member independent committee to examine the arrests, detention and circumstances that led to the fatalities. The government has also suspended 20 NSCDC officers, including the Niger State commandant, pending the committee’s findings. Separately, the minister dispatched a team of officials to Niger State to gather facts on the incident.
Idris Zekeri, spokesman for the Peter Obi Media Office, issued a statement on Monday that criticised the minister for prioritising partisan exchanges over what the group called executive accountability. The statement asked pointed questions about the operation, including who authorised it and what safeguards were in place, and demanded clarity on who would be held responsible.
The media office argued the deaths expose urgent problems in regulation, enforcement and safety inside the solid minerals sector, and pressed authorities to tackle unsafe and unregulated mining practices. It also urged better protection for young Nigerians engaged in artisanal mining and called for reforms aimed at preventing future tragedies.
The dispute highlights a political dimension to an investigation that already involves formal federal oversight and personnel suspensions. The outcome of the 10-member committee’s work will determine whether the suspended officers face further discipline and whether the incident triggers wider regulatory changes in mining governance and enforcement.
