The federal government has ordered a full and transparent investigation and warned of prosecutions after 37 suspected illegal miners died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. The deaths followed enforcement operations near Lt. Gen. Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna, Niger State, and prompted the president to demand immediate accountability.
Bayo Onanuga, the president's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, said Mr. Tinubu insists that every Nigerian's life matters and that no one should die in government custody because of negligence, abuse, inhumane treatment or dereliction of duty. The president described the reported fatalities as a grave matter requiring urgent inquiry.
The review ordered by the president must examine the circumstances of the arrests, the state of the detainees when they were taken into custody, the conditions of detention, how many people were held at the facility, what medical attention was provided and the sequence of events that led to the deaths. Mr. Tinubu also warned that administrative moves, such as suspending officers, must not replace proper determination of criminal responsibility where evidence supports prosecution.
Mr. Tinubu directed the Ministry of Interior and the leadership of the NSCDC to co‑operate fully with investigative authorities and to prevent any interference with inquiries. He extended condolences to the families of the deceased and appealed for calm among affected communities while investigations proceed. The president reiterated that the government will continue to fight illegal mining and other crimes, but that enforcement must comply with the law and respect the dignity and rights of detained persons.
The next steps, as ordered by the presidency, are a comprehensive, unhindered probe and legal action against any officer found to have contributed to the deaths through action, abuse or negligence. The administration has framed the process as both a fact-finding exercise and a potential criminal accountability process, leaving further action dependent on the evidence investigators produce.
