37 Miners’ Death: Owners Of Niger State Mining Site Must Be Exposed – Adeyanju

Human rights lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju, has warned that no form of cover-up must be allowed in the investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.

Speaking on Monday during Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Adeyanju said the investigation should go beyond the allegations against those who were arrested and establish the circumstances in which they were detained and died.

According to him, the committee charged with the independent investigation of circumstances that resulted in the miners’ deaths must establish who owned the mine where the suspects were arrested.

He argued that the government allocates mining sites to people, and the committee should therefore establish who owned the mine where the suspects were arrested.

Naija News reports that the lawyer added that the NSCDC cannot absolve itself of responsibility for the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died in its custody.

Adeyanju, who is a member of the 10-member independent committee constituted by the federal government to investigate the deaths, also said the victims should not be described simply as “illegal miners” in a manner that obscures the circumstances surrounding their deaths while in government custody.

He vowed to resist any attempt to disrupt the probe.

Recall that 37 detainees died last Thursday in NSCDC custody 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.