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Niger Deaths: FG Inaugurates 10-Member Probe Panel

Published September 22, 2026 at 2:16 PM

Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo

Key Takeaways

The Federal Government on Tuesday in Abuja inaugurated a ten-member independent committee to probe the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in NSCDC custody.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, set up the panel after President Bola Tinubu directed a comprehensive investigation into the September 17, 2026 deaths in Niger State.
Retired DSS Deputy Director-General, Jonathan Kure, will chair the panel to examine detention circumstances, support medical and forensic checks, and recommend actions to ensure justice.

The Federal Government has inaugurated a 10-member independent committee to investigate 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.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, inaugurated the committee on Tuesday in Abuja following President Bola Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The 37 detainees reportedly died on September 17, 2026, while in the custody of the NSCDC Niger State Command. The actual cause of their deaths has yet to be established.

A retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, chairs the committee, while a former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Prof Isa Hayatu Chiroma (SAN), serves as secretary.

Other members include retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police Hosea Hassan Karma; Prof Olayinka Buhari, a professor of Histopathology and former Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital; and representatives of the Minna Emirate Council and the Niger State Government.

The committee also includes the National Secretary of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Liman Sulaiman; lawyer and human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju; Blueprint Newspaper journalist, Mrs Zainab Suleiman Okino; and public affairs analyst, Dr George Agbakahi.

Speaking during the inauguration, Tunji-Ojo commended President Tinubu for ordering the probe, saying the investigation was necessary to establish the facts and ensure justice for the deceased.

The minister also expressed condolences to the families of those who died and appealed to residents and other stakeholders to remain calm while the committee carries out its assignment.

The deaths have generated public concern, particularly over the circumstances surrounding the detention of the suspected miners and the events that preceded their deaths.

Authorities have yet to establish the definitive cause of death, while medical and forensic investigations are expected to form part of efforts to determine what happened to the detainees.

The committee is expected to examine the circumstances leading to the deaths and make recommendations based on its findings.