Miners’ Deaths: FG Suspends Niger NSCDC Commandant, Orders Probe
The Federal Government has suspended the Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Suberu Aniviye, following the deaths of suspected illegal miners detained after enforcement operations in Niger State.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordered the immediate suspension as authorities intensified efforts to establish what happened to the detainees and determine the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
The incident followed NSCDC operations conducted on September 15 and 16, 2026, around the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis of Niger State, where suspected illegal miners were arrested.
The Minister directed that a comprehensive investigation be carried out while the commandant remains suspended.
Tunji-Ojo described the incident as unfortunate and stressed the Federal Government’s responsibility to protect lives. He also urged members of the public to remain calm and allow investigators to establish the facts.
The minister extended condolences to Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago as well as the families and relatives of those who died.
The suspension adds another dimension to an investigation earlier announced by the NSCDC National Headquarters.
NSCDC Commandant-General Ahmed Abubakar Audi had constituted a high-powered investigative team headed by the Deputy Commandant-General responsible for Intelligence and Investigation.
The panel is expected to examine the condition of the suspects when they were arrested, how long they remained in custody, detention conditions, medical attention provided and other factors that could have contributed to the deaths.
Conflicting figures have emerged over the number of people who died. While some Nigerian media reports put the figure at no fewer than 33, other accounts have reported higher numbers.
The exact cause of death has also not been officially established.
Although an initial account from the Niger State command suggested a possible disease outbreak, the NSCDC headquarters cautioned against drawing conclusions before medical and laboratory examinations are completed.
A survivor quoted by the Associated Press, however, alleged that detainees had been packed into a poorly ventilated cell and struggled to breathe. The allegation has not been established as the official cause of the deaths and forms part of the broader questions surrounding the incident.
The NSCDC has promised a comprehensive investigation and said appropriate action would be taken based on established facts.
The incident has consequently shifted attention beyond the campaign against illegal mining to questions surrounding detention conditions, the treatment of suspects in security custody and accountability within enforcement agencies.
