NSCDC Parades Suspended Commandant, Others Over Death Of Miners In Niger State

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Sunday, paraded its suspended Niger State Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, and other officers linked to the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the Corps’ custody.

The officers were paraded at the NSCDC National Headquarters in Sauka, Abuja, during a press briefing by the Corps’ National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commandant Babawale Afolabi, who updated journalists on the preliminary findings into the incident.

Naija News recalls that the 37 detainees died last Thursday, after they were arrested during anti-illegal mining operations conducted by the NSCDC in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16.

The NSCDC had initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, saying the actual cause would be established through medical examination.

However, the National leadership of the NSCDC rejected the initial claims and ordered further investigation to determine the cause of death of the affected suspects.

The federal government, through the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, subsequently suspended the Niger State Commandant and 20 other NSCDC officers pending the outcome of an independent investigation.