Tinubu order prosecution of officials wey get hand for di deaths of suspected illegal miners for Niger State
Wia dis foto come from, Presidency/NSCDC Facebook
President Bola Tinubu don order full and transparent investigation into di deaths of suspected illegal miners wey die for detention for di facility of di Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Di Nigerian leader for statement tok say di investigation gatz establish di circumstances of di arrests, di condition of di detainees wen dem take dem into custody, di conditions under which dem hold dem, di number of pesins dem detain for di facility, di medical attention dem provide to dem plus di events wey lead to dia deaths.
Di president wey express deep concern for di reported deaths tok say na veri serious issue wey dem must urgently and thoroughly investigate.
Tinubu make am veri clear say if at di end of di investigation, dem find out say any official, through action, abuse or negligence, contribute to dis deaths, dat officer must chop arrest and prosecution in accordance wit di law.
Di president also clear am say di fact say di young men dey suspected for illegal mining, no remove dia right to life, dignity and humane treatment.
"Di life of evri Nigerian mata. No citizen suppose lose dia life for govment custody sake of negligence, abuse, inhumane treatment or dereliction of duty."
E add say govment go continue to combat illegal mining plus oda criminal activities for di kontri, but agencies must do am strictly within di law and wit full respect for di dignity and fundamental rights of di pipo dem take into custody.
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Niger State govment impose 24-hour curfew as protest break out for Minna
Niger State govment impose 24-hour curfew as protest break out sake of miners wey die for di custody of di Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Di police tell di BBC say di curfew go take effect immediately afta Friday prayers.
Dem urge residents make dem comply wit di order to prevent further disruption and maintain public order.
Dis dey come afta protests break out for parts of Minna, di Niger State capital, sake of di deaths of di suspected illegal miners.
Videos for social media show wia young pipo enta major roads in protest, and police bin throw teargas to scata di protesters.
Meanwhile, Babawale Afolabi, wey be di NSCDC tok-tok pesin, tell BBC say di official number of pipo wey dey inside dia detention centre na 33.
However, local media and some residents of di area tok say di number dey higher.
Dis dey come afta di federal govment don order immediate suspension of Niger State Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, afta alleged deaths of suspected illegal miners.
Di deaths happun for M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis of Minna, di Niger State capital northern Nigeria.
Di Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, don order full investigation into di incident, wey reportedly happun for di early hours of Thursday.
According to di Ministry of Interior, di incident happun afta dem arrest suspected illegal miners during enforcement operations wey dem carry out for some parts of Niger State on September 15 and 16, 2026.
Di ministry say dem suspend di state commandant so dat proper investigation fit take place into wetin happun while di suspects dey NSCDC custody.
“E be unfortunate incident, however, we go conduct investigation while di commandant under watch wen dis happun go remain suspended,” Minister Tunji-Ojo tok.
“We run govment wey di ultimate priority na security of lives and we dey work to stay true to dis,” di minister tok.
Survivor family speak on incident
Wia dis foto come from, Reuters
Residents for Minna, di capital of Niger State, don tell BBC say dem try to secure di release of dia relatives wey authorities detain during di operation against illegal mining.
According to local media, some of di pipo wey dem arrest na internally displaced pipo from communities for Shiroro Local Govment Area.
BBC neva independently confam dis information.
Abdullahi Dalhatu, wey im son survive di incident, say arrests don dey happun for di community for several days.
“Officials don dey chase our pikins for di mining fields. Finally, dem arrest dem three days ago."
"We go NSCDC office to get dem out, but di officials tell us make we come di next day. We spend di next day for di office, but dem no release dem to us. Unfortunately, di following day, we hear say our children don die.”
Mr Dalhatu say e bin first tink say im son dey among di pipo wey die.
“I go hospital to collect my son bodi, but I no fit find am. Den im mama call me for phone to tell me say e don return home.”
E say im son describe di condition inside di detention cell.
“Wen I speak to Salim [im son], e tell me say di cell hot and dem be 30 pipo bicos e dey crowded. E lucky say e dey close to di small window. Im friend slump and faint, and many oda pipo also slump. Plenty of dem die.”
“Dem dey knock di door, but nobodi come open di door. We believe say dem suffocate bicos ventilation no dey.”
NSCDC say dem arrest 50 illegal miners
Wia dis foto come from, NSCDC/Facebook
Di NSCDC tell di BBC say illegal mining na widespread issue for Niger State.
Dia tok-tok pesin, Babawale Afolabi, say artisanal miners dey always operate for open fields across di state.
E say more dan 50 pipo dey arrested during di operation earlier dis week. E say dem neva charge dem, as dem still dey carry out profiling and documentation bifor di deaths.
E describe illegal mining activities for di state as "serious".
"E serious, we get various cases on illegal mining for Niger"
"Gold dey deposited dia and oda mineral resources - we get mining marshals dia and dem dey arrest illegal miners," e add.
Mr Afolabi confam say di agency dey carry out operations for di area and dem make arrests as part of efforts to tackle illegal mining.
Nigerians call for "thorough, transparent and credible investigation" into di deaths
Plenty Nigerians, agencies and political stakeholders don react to di death of di alleged illegal miners for di detention of di govment agency, as dem call for thorough investigation.
Rabiu Kwankwaso, former govnor of Kano State wonder how di victims wey dem arrest on 15 and 16 September for alleged mining site go die within two days.
E say di govment must torchlight di mata well-well and ensure say anybodi wey dem find responsible must face di full wrath of di law, no be just internal or administrative sanctions.
Peter Obi, wey also question di short period within which di suspects take die, tok say Nigerians deserve a transparent, independent, and credible investigation wey go establish wetin happun exactly.
"No Nigerian suppose enta govment custody and lose di most basic right of all: di right to life," Atiku Abubakar tok.
"Govment must promptly, thoroughly, independently, impartially, transparently, and effectively, investigate how detention for one to two days turn into disaster wey kill minors," Amnesty International Nigeria tok.
Di rights agency also say pipo wey dem catch must face prosecution.
