Suspended Niger State NSCDC Commandant Suberu Aniviye has apologised to the families of 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Aniviye reportedly pleaded for forgiveness while appearing before the panel investigating the deaths in Minna, the Niger State capital.
According to the Nigerian Television Authority, he spoke during the panel’s second sitting, chaired by Justice Mohammed Mohammed. He described the tragedy as a costly mistake that could have been avoided.
The 37 miners’ deaths have triggered an investigation and raised serious questions about the circumstances surrounding the victims’ detention.
Suspended NSCDC Commandant Explains Arrests
Aniviye told the panel that the operation began after residents of M.I. Wushishi Housing Estate complained about mining activities in their communities.
He said he visited the area on September 15 before deploying mining marshals. The suspected illegal miners were arrested the following evening.
According to his testimony, he learnt about the deaths through a phone call on September 17.
He said he returned to the command’s headquarters and found the bodies lying on the floor of a detention cell.
Aniviye told the panel that he informed Niger State Governor Umaru Bago about the incident. The governor subsequently directed that the bodies be moved to a mortuary.
The suspended commandant also said he contacted the state commissioner of police and the director of the Department of State Services to report what had happened.
He added that the suspects were scheduled to appear in court on September 17, but the deaths occurred before their planned arraignment.
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Panel Visits Mortuary Housing Victims’ Bodies
Other witnesses who appeared before the panel included Stephen Tsado, the NSCDC legal officer in Niger State, and Maryam Etang, a nurse attached to the command’s medical unit.
After the hearing, Justice Mohammed led members of the panel to the mortuary at Minna General Hospital, where the victims’ bodies were being kept.
The chairman disclosed that three bodies remained unclaimed as of Thursday.
The panel is investigating the circumstances surrounding the 37 miners’ deaths, including what happened while the victims were in NSCDC custody.
Federal Government Orders Investigation
The suspected illegal miners were arrested in M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto villages during operations conducted on September 15 and 16.
Their deaths prompted the Federal Government to suspend Aniviye and order an investigation into the incident.
The government also established a 10-member independent committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
On October 5, Vice-President Kashim Shettima visited Minna and announced a ₦250 million Federal Government grant for the bereaved families, according to the report.
Aniviye’s appearance before the panel marks another stage in the investigation. The circumstances and causes of the deaths remain matters for the inquiry to establish.