ADC demands probe, autopsies over deaths of 37 illegal miners

The African Democratic Congress has called for an investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State. According to the party, the victims were arrested during raids on mining sites on September 15 and 16.

The party's National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, issued a statement demanding an immediate, independent, and transparent investigation into the deaths. The ADC also called for independent autopsies, the publication of the victims' identities and detention records, compensation for their families, and the prosecution of officials found responsible for the deaths.

The party stated that the victims' arrest did not extinguish their constitutional rights to life, dignity, and due process. The ADC linked the deaths to Nigeria's worsening cost-of-living and unemployment crises, accusing the Federal Government of criminalising desperate attempts by poor Nigerians to make a living, as per Daily Post Nigeria.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch, Punch Nigeria, Daily Post Nigeria — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.