The suspended commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger state, Suberu Aniviye, has said that the deaths of suspected illegal miners in custody was a costly and avoidable mistake.
The embattled commandant reportedly apologised to the victims’ families while testifying before a panel of inquiry investigating the deaths in Minna, the Niger state capital. The panel is chaired by Mohammed Mohammed, a judge.
He described the incident as a costly mistake that occurred during his tenure.
Also, while giving evidence, Stephen Tsado, suspended head of the NSCDC legal unit, said that he had advised Aniviye to release the underage suspects to their parents on bail, but his advice was not heeded.
Aniviye said the operation followed complaints from residents around M.I. Wushishi Housing Estate about mining activities in their communities.
According to him, he visited the site on September 15 before deploying mining marshals, who arrested the suspected illegal miners the following evening.
Aniviye told the commission that he learnt of the deaths through a telephone call on September 17 and returned to the command’s office, where he found bodies lying on the detention cell floor.
He said he informed Umaru Bago, governor of Niger state, who directed that the bodies be taken to the mortuary, adding that he also contacted the state commissioner of police and the director of the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to him, the suspects were scheduled to be arraigned in court on September 17 before their deaths.
Maryam Etang, a nurse attached to the command’s medical unit, told the commission she was shocked to find the body of one Emeka Emmanuel among those brought out of the cell. She said Emmanuel was not among the miners arrested during the operation.
It would be recalled that 37 suspected illegal miners arrested in M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto villages in Niger state died in NSCDC custody in September.
Aniviye had said the suspects were arrested during operations conducted on September 15 and 16.
Following the death of the 37 miners, the Federal Government suspended Aniviye and ordered an investigation into the deaths.
It also constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
