Panel begins probe into deaths of 37 miners in Niger custody

An independent committee established by the Federal Government has begun investigating the deaths of 37 artisanal miners who were in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, Niger State. The 10-member panel’s chairman, retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services Jonathan Kure, announced the start of the assignment during a courtesy visit to Governor Umaru Bago at the Government House in Minna. Kure said the committee had been set up by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and would work to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

He said the panel would investigate what went wrong and determine responsibility where necessary. The chairman said the committee’s medical team began work shortly after the panel was inaugurated. He explained that the early start was intended to preserve and establish evidence that could help clarify the circumstances of the incident.

Kure assured affected families and the people of Niger State that the inquiry would remain independent and fair. He said people found to have been responsible would be held accountable, while anyone wrongly drawn into the matter would be treated fairly. The committee also expressed condolences to the government and people of Niger State, describing the deaths as a concern for both the state and the country.

Governor Bago pledged the full cooperation and support of the Niger State Government. He said the committee included professionals from relevant sectors and expressed confidence that it would establish what happened to the miners. The source material does not provide the committee’s deadline, the cause of the deaths or details of the miners’ detention.

Those matters remain part of the investigation, whose findings are expected to address the concerns of families and determine responsibility where supported by evidence.