The Federal Government has inaugurated a 10-member independent committee to investigate the deaths of 37 people detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State over suspected illegal mining.
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 incident.
The committee is chaired by a retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, while a former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN, will serve as secretary.
Other members are 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; a representative of the Minna Emirate Council; and a representative of the Niger State Government.
The committee also includes Alhaji Liman Sulaiman, National Secretary of the Miners Association of Nigeria; lawyer and human rights activist Deji Adeyanju; Mrs Zainab Suleiman Okino of Blueprint Newspaper; and public affairs analyst Dr George Agbakahi.
The 37 detainees died on Thursday, September 17, 2026, while in the custody of the NSCDC Niger State Command.
The circumstances and cause of the deaths have not been established. The Federal Government has therefore ordered an investigation to determine what happened and establish whether any individuals or institutions were culpable.
In his remarks, Tunji-Ojo thanked President Tinubu for constituting the committee and directing an investigation, saying the move was aimed at ensuring justice for the victims.
The minister expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and appealed for calm while the investigation is underway.
According to Tunji-Ojo, the committee is expected to identify the deceased and establish the immediate and remote causes of their deaths, as well as the time and place of each death.
It is also mandated to investigate the circumstances surrounding the arrest and detention of the deceased; examine the legality and conditions of the detention facility; and determine whether relevant laws, detention procedures and human rights standards were observed.
The committee will further investigate allegations of torture, inhumane treatment or denial of medical care; determine whether there was negligence or professional misconduct by any officer; and review the NSCDC’s operational mandate concerning illegal mining enforcement and its rules of engagement.
Tunji-Ojo said the committee would interview relevant persons, including NSCDC officers involved in the arrests and detention, other detainees, relatives of the deceased, witnesses and medical personnel.
It will also examine medical and autopsy reports, detention records and other relevant documents, as well as physical and material evidence.
The minister said the committee had been given full access to relevant facilities and documents and was authorised to conduct forensic examinations where necessary.
He said the committee would also recommend appropriate disciplinary, administrative or legal action against anyone found culpable, as well as compensation or other remedial measures for the families where applicable.
“This committee must be independent of every official. This committee is responsible for only the truth, and nothing more,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He warned that any attempt to destroy or conceal evidence, intimidate witnesses or obstruct the investigation would attract serious consequences.
“Any attempt by anybody to destroy or conceal evidence, intimidate witnesses, or obstruct this investigation will be treated as a serious offence against the nation, and it will not be tolerated,” he said.
Tunji-Ojo assured Nigerians and the families of the deceased that the government would ensure justice and that no individual found culpable would be shielded.
“We owe you the truth. This committee will give you the truth. No officer, no matter how highly placed, or any individual, not just an officer, will be shielded if found culpable. Justice will be done,” he said.
The minister also said the committee’s report would not be suppressed and that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted or otherwise dealt with in accordance with the law.
“This report will not be swept under the carpet. We will call a meeting like this to present the report. And whoever needs to be prosecuted will be prosecuted,” he said.
Addressing the families of the deceased, Tunji-Ojo appealed for patience and assured them that the government would not abandon them.
“To the families who lost loved ones, I appeal for calm and patience. This government will not and will never abandon you,” he said.
The minister said the committee had two weeks to complete its investigation and submit its report.
Speaking on behalf of the committee, Kure described the appointment as a call to national service and pledged that members would conduct the investigation with integrity.
“This is a privilege, and we do not see it as an appointment but a call to national service. Some of us have had the opportunity to serve this nation for 35 years, and even in retirement, we are always willing to answer this type of call on the premise that my name, my integrity, will not in any way be toyed with,” Kure said.
