Suberu Aniviye, the suspended Niger state commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has apologised to the families of 37 suspected miners who died in the agency’s custody.
According to NTA, Aniviye tendered the apology while
testifying before a panel of inquiry investigating the deaths in Minna, the
Niger state capital.
Speaking at the second sitting of the panel chaired by
Mohammed Mohammed, a judge, Aniviye appealed to the bereaved families for
forgiveness, describing the incident as a costly mistake that could have been
avoided.
Aniviye said the operation followed complaints from
residents around M.I. Wushishi Housing Estate about mining activities in their
communities.
He said he visited the site on September 15 before deploying
mining marshals, who arrested the suspected illegal miners the following
evening.
The suspended commandant said he learnt of the deaths
through a telephone call on September 17 and returned to the command’s office,
where he found the bodies lying on the detention cell floor.
Aniviye said he informed Umaru Bago, governor of Niger
state, who directed that the bodies be taken to the mortuary.
He added that he also contacted the state commissioner of
police and the director of the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to Aniviye, the suspects were scheduled to be
arraigned on September 17 before their deaths.
Stephen Tsado, the state’s NSCDC legal officer; and Maryam
Etang, a nurse attached to the command’s medical unit; also testified before
the panel.
After the sitting, Mohammed led other panel members to the
Minna General Hospital mortuary, where the victims’ bodies were kept.
Mohammed said three corpses remain unclaimed as of Thursday.
BACK STORY
In September, 37 suspected illegal miners arrested in M.I.
Wushishi and Lukoto villages in Niger state, died in NSCDC custody.
Aniviye had said the suspects were arrested during
operations conducted on September 15 and 16.
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.
On October 5, Vice-President Kashim Shettima visited Minna
and announced a federal government donation of N250 million to the victims’
families.
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