37 Miners’ Deaths: Coomassie Urges FG to Publish Investigation Findings

Ambassador Hussaini Coomassie has called on the Federal Government to ensure that the findings of investigations into the deaths of 37 artisanal miners in Niger State are made public and acted upon, warning that the matter must not be “swept under the carpet.”

Coomassie’s call follows the commencement of separate investigations by the Federal Government, the Niger State Government and the Nigeria Police Force into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The 37 artisanal miners reportedly died on September 17 after they were arrested during an operation targeting suspected illegal mining activities in Niger State and subsequently detained by personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Following the incident, the Federal Government suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant and other personnel linked to the incident, while the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, constituted a 10-member committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Coomassie said the findings of all the investigative panels must be preserved, made available to the public and followed by appropriate action where wrongdoing is established.

“The outcome of the investigation of the 37 artisanal miners by any committee, be it that of the Minister of Interior, Governor Umaru Bago’s committee or the IGP committee, should not be allowed to be swept under the carpet,” he said.

He advocated a broader, multidisciplinary investigation involving relevant security, government and community stakeholders. According to him, such a panel should include representatives of the Directorate of Military Intelligence, the Force Criminal Investigation Department, the Department of State Services, the Ministry of Interior, the Niger State Government, the Minna Emirate Council and miners’ associations.

He also proposed the inclusion of independent investigative journalists, two criminal lawyers and human-rights advocates, citing activist Deji Adeyanju as an example.

Coomassie also questioned whether the two-week timeframe given to the Federal Government’s committee would be sufficient to conduct a thorough investigation and establish the facts surrounding the deaths.

He described the timeframe as too short and criticised aspects of the committee’s composition, arguing that investigators should be given adequate time and unrestricted access to relevant evidence, locations, documents and witnesses.

“The committee of Tunji-Ojo is a kangaroo one, and the timeframe is very limited to bring out authentic results,” he said.

The Federal Government committee is chaired by retired DSS Deputy Director-General Jonathan Kure and includes representatives of the Minna Emirate Council, the Niger State Government and the Miners Association, alongside lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju and journalist Zainab Suleiman Okino. Its terms of reference also empower it to co-opt additional experts, visit relevant locations, access documents and facilities, and receive memoranda from members of the public.

Separately, the Niger State Government has inaugurated a 20-member committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Yakubu Garba. The committee comprises representatives of the police, DSS, Nigerian Army, state Ministry of Health, Minna Emirate Council, Nigerian Bar Association, Nigerian Union of Journalists and civil society organisations.

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has also stated that the police would investigate the deaths and collaborate with the NSCDC and the Niger State Government’s committee of inquiry.

Coomassie maintained that the various investigations should ultimately establish a clear, credible and publicly accountable account of what happened to the 37 miners, including the circumstances leading to their deaths and responsibility for any wrongdoing established by the evidence.

He stressed that Nigerians deserve transparency and accountability in the handling of the investigations and urged the relevant authorities to ensure that the findings do not disappear without appropriate follow-up action.

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