FG vows to hunt down culprits over deaths of 37 miners in NSCDC custody
The federal government has vowed to get to the root of the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.
Vice President Kashim Shettima gave the assurance on Monday during a condolence visit to Minna, where he conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s sympathies to the bereaved families, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago and the people of the state.
The 37 men died on September 17 after being detained by the NSCDC on suspicion of illegal mining. The circumstances surrounding their deaths are yet to be established.
Shettima announced a ₦250 million FG donation to the families of the deceased and said President Tinubu had directed a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
He said the government had constituted a 10-member independent investigative committee, while officers connected with the incident had been suspended pending the outcome of the probe.
Describing the deaths as “a blot on our national conscience”, Shettima said being detained did not strip citizens of their right to state protection.
“The deaths of 37 young men in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps are a blot on our national conscience. No parent should receive a body when they are waiting for a son to come home,” he said.
The Vice President said the FG would not prejudge the investigation but would ensure that the circumstances surrounding the deaths were thoroughly established and responsibility determined.
