Tinubu Orders Full Probe Into Deaths of 37 Suspected Illegal Miners in NSCDC Custody
By Pan Afric Reporters
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a full and transparent investigation into the reported deaths of suspected illegal miners detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, warning that any official found responsible through negligence, abuse or misconduct will face prosecution.
The directive followed reports of deaths among persons detained after enforcement operations around the Lt. Gen. Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna. The State House subsequently confirmed that the Federal Government had initiated steps for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. (State House Abuja)
The directive was contained in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, on September 18, 2026.
Expressing concern over the incident, President Tinubu said the government would continue to combat illegal mining and other criminal activities but insisted that enforcement agencies must operate within the law and respect the rights of people in their custody.
“The fact that these individuals were suspected of illegal mining does not in any way remove their right to life, dignity and humane treatment while in government custody.”
The President directed that the investigation cover the circumstances of the arrests, the condition of the detainees when they were taken into custody, the conditions under which they were detained, the number of persons held at the facility, medical attention provided to them and the events leading to their deaths. (State House Abuja)
Tinubu warned that any official found to have contributed to the deaths through action, abuse or negligence must be held accountable.
“Where the investigation establishes that any official, through action, abuse or negligence, contributed to these deaths, such an officer must be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law. There must be accountability,” the President said.
Tinubu: Suspension Not Substitute for Criminal Investigation
The President also cautioned that administrative sanctions against officials must not be allowed to replace criminal investigations where evidence points to possible offences.
“The suspension of officers is only an administrative step and must not substitute for a proper determination of criminal responsibility where the evidence warrants prosecution,” he said.
He consequently directed the Ministry of Interior and the NSCDC leadership to cooperate fully with investigative authorities and ensure that no officer interferes with the process or attempts to frustrate efforts to establish the facts.
The Federal Government subsequently constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the reported deaths, with the committee mandated to establish the identities of the deceased, examine their arrest and detention, determine the causes and circumstances of their deaths and establish responsibility, including possible negligence or misconduct. The committee was given two weeks to submit its report. (State House Abuja)
The government also suspended the NSCDC Niger State Commandant and 20 other officers pending the outcome of the investigation, while directing that relevant records and material evidence connected with the incident be preserved and made available to investigators. (State House Abuja)
‘Sanctity of Human Life Is Non-Negotiable’
Tinubu extended his condolences to the families of the deceased and appealed for calm among affected families and communities, assuring them that the government would pursue the truth and take appropriate action based on credible evidence.
He said the enforcement of laws against illegal mining must not result in violations of other laws or fundamental rights.
“We must never allow the pursuit of one form of illegality to create another. The government must enforce the law firmly, but it must also obey the law. The sanctity of human life is non-negotiable,” the President said.
The President’s directive comes amid wider calls for an independent and transparent investigation into the deaths, with human-rights and media organisations demanding that the circumstances of the incident, including the treatment and medical condition of the detainees, be fully established.
