Miners’ deaths: Questions arise over Niger NSCDC commandant’s conduct after mass arrests

Questions have arisen over the conduct of Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State, following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in custody after a mass arrest operation.

The controversy followed enforcement operations conducted by the Niger NSCDC command on September 15 and 16 as part of a crackdown on illegal mining activities in the state.

The operation, which resulted in the arrest of scores of suspected illegal miners, has come under scrutiny over the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the detainees and the conditions in which they were held.

The circumstances surrounding the operation have also raised questions over the role of the Niger State NSCDC command in the mass arrests, given that the Federal Government established the Mining Marshals as a specialised security unit to tackle illegal mining and enforce compliance with mining laws.

The unit, inaugurated in March 2024, is drawn from the NSCDC and operates under the command of Assistant Commandant of Corps John Onoja Attah.

The Mining Marshals have since been publicly identified by the NSCDC as the arm leading the fight against illegal mining, with the corps reporting hundreds of arrests, prosecutions and the recovery of mining sites under the unit’s operations.

The NSCDC’s official website also states that the Mining Marshals “lead the fight” against illegal mining by enforcing compliance, dismantling unlawful operations and protecting legitimate investments.

If working differently from the Mining Marshals approach of the Federal Government is what exist in other state command’s of NSCDC like it is the case of Niger, then there is a biger problem.

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior, has since ordered Aniviye’s immediate suspension and directed a full investigation into the incident.

“It is an unfortunate incident, however, a full investigation will be conducted while the commandant under whose watch this happened remains suspended.

“We run a government whose ultimate priority is security of lives and we have worked to stay true to this,” the minister said.

The deaths have raised questions about the scale of the arrests, the facilities used to hold the suspects and the preparations made to accommodate such a large number of detainees.

Among the issues now expected to form part of the investigation are whether the detention facility had adequate ventilation, sanitation and medical supervision and whether health screenings were conducted after the suspects were arrested.

There are also concerns over possible overcrowding, although the authorities have yet to establish that overcrowding contributed to the deaths.

The NSCDC had earlier attributed the deaths to a suspected outbreak of disease, but said the actual cause remained subject to medical and laboratory confirmation.

Suberu said the corpses of the deceased had been deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for further medical examination.

The incident has also triggered broader questions about the approach adopted during the anti-illegal mining operation, particularly the decision to arrest a large number of suspects and subsequently detain them in custody.

While illegal mining remains the stated target of the operation, concerns have emerged over whether enforcement measures were matched with adequate arrangements for the welfare and safety of those taken into custody.

Human rights advocates and concerned residents have called for a transparent account of what happened between the arrests and the deaths.

The incident has also revived debate over security priorities in Niger State, which is simultaneously dealing with banditry, kidnappings and attacks on rural communities.

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