The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has paraded its suspended Niger State Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, alongside other officers connected to the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the Corps’ custody.
The officers were brought before journalists at the NSCDC National Headquarters in Sauka, Abuja, on Sunday as the Corps continued its internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The development comes amid growing scrutiny of the security agency following the deaths of the detainees on Thursday, September 17, 2026. The deceased had reportedly been arrested during anti-illegal mining operations conducted by the NSCDC in parts of Niger State, including the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas, on September 15 and 16.
The incident has triggered investigations at both the federal and state levels, with authorities seeking to establish exactly what happened between the arrest of the suspects and their deaths in custody.
The NSCDC had initially linked the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, although it stressed that the actual cause could only be established through medical examination and further investigation. The cause of death has not been conclusively established.
Assistant Commandant Babawale Afolabi, the NSCDC National Public Relations Officer, is expected to brief journalists on the Corps’ preliminary findings as part of the ongoing effort to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The appearance of the suspended officers at the national headquarters follows directives issued after the deaths were reported.
Federal Government Suspends 21 NSCDC Personnel
The Federal Government has suspended Niger State Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, and 20 other NSCDC personnel in connection with the incident.
The suspension was announced by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive, transparent and unhindered investigation.
The Government said the affected personnel would remain suspended pending the outcome of the independent investigation.
The 20 officers include personnel involved in station guard duties, arrest operations, investigations, intelligence and investigation, legal matters and other responsibilities connected with the detention facility.
The Government’s decision to suspend the officers is intended to allow the investigation to proceed without interference while responsibility for the incident is being established.
Reports had earlier indicated that the suspended Commandant and other key officers were directed to report to the NSCDC National Headquarters in Abuja to face a panel of inquiry.
The Corps’ Commandant-General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, had also ordered a new Commandant to take over in Niger State pending the conclusion of the investigation.
Ten-Member Panel To Investigate Deaths
Beyond the internal NSCDC inquiry, the Federal Government has constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the deaths.
The committee was established by Interior Minister, Tunji-Ojo, on September 19 following the President’s directive.
It has been tasked with establishing the identities of the deceased and investigating their arrest, detention and the cause and circumstances of their deaths.
The panel will also examine whether there was any responsibility, complicity, negligence or misconduct connected to the incident and make recommendations on appropriate action, compensation where applicable, and measures to prevent a recurrence.
The committee is chaired by retired Department of State Services Deputy Director-General, Jonathan Kure, while Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, serves as Secretary.
Other members include retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Hosea Hassan Karma; Professor Olayinka Buhari, a professor of histopathology and former Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital; representatives of the Minna Emirate Council and Niger State Government; Miners’ Association of Nigeria National Secretary, Liman Sulaiman; lawyer and human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju; Blueprint newspaper’s Zainab Suleiman Okino; and public affairs analyst, George Agbakahi.
The committee has two weeks to complete its assignment and submit its report to the Minister of Interior.
It has also been empowered to invite relevant experts, access facilities and documents, visit locations connected to the incident and receive memoranda from members of the public.
Government Warns Against Interference
Tunji-Ojo has warned that anyone who attempts to destroy or conceal evidence, intimidate witnesses or obstruct the investigation will face serious consequences.
The Minister said the Government owes the families of the deceased and Nigerians a transparent explanation of the circumstances that led to the deaths.
The directive requires the NSCDC and other relevant authorities to cooperate fully with investigators and preserve all records and material evidence connected to the incident.
The Government has also appealed for calm as the investigations continue.
Questions Remain Over What Happened In Custody
The deaths have generated significant public concern because of the number of detainees who died within the same period while in custody.
Earlier reports said the detainees were among people arrested during operations targeting suspected illegal mining activities in Niger State.
The number of people initially reported dead varied, with early reports putting the figure at 33 before the confirmed figure rose to 37. The Niger State Government and federal authorities subsequently referred to 37 deaths.
There have also been conflicting accounts about the circumstances inside the detention facility.
The NSCDC initially referred to a suspected disease outbreak, while accounts from survivors and relatives raised questions about the conditions under which the detainees were held. It was reported that families accused security personnel of mistreatment, while a survivor described overcrowded detention conditions. These allegations have not been established as findings of the official investigation.
That distinction is important as the independent panel begins its work because the Government has yet to announce a definitive cause of death.
Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has also said the State Government will make the outcome of its investigation public. Speaking during a prayer session for the deceased in Minna on Sunday, Bago said authorities would investigate the circumstances surrounding the arrests, detention and deaths.
The Governor said preliminary information had raised questions about the number of detainees and how they were distributed within the detention facility, adding that the investigation would examine the identities and circumstances of those held there.
Investigation To Determine Responsibility
With the suspended Commandant and other officers now facing scrutiny, the investigations are expected to determine whether established procedures were followed during the arrests, detention and management of the suspects.
Authorities are also expected to establish the medical cause of the deaths and determine whether any security personnel or other individuals breached regulations or failed in their responsibilities.
The Federal Government has made clear that the suspensions are administrative measures pending the outcome of the investigation and do not, by themselves, establish guilt.
The NSCDC has similarly stated that personnel found culpable after due investigation would face appropriate administrative, disciplinary or criminal sanctions in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
For now, the focus remains on establishing what happened to the 37 detainees, identifying those responsible for any wrongdoing if established, and determining whether there were failures in the arrest, detention or medical care of the suspects.
The independent committee’s report, expected within two weeks, is therefore likely to be central to the Government’s next steps in the case.