Bago: Not All Those That Died in NSCDC Custody Are Illegal Miners

Niger Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago announced that not all individuals who perished in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) last week were illegal miners. One example he provided was an Igbo man who had been detained for stealing from his employer prior to the incident and died alongside others. The governor made these remarks after attending a three-day prayer for the burial of the 37 deceased, including both illegal miners and others.

Bago assured the families of the deceased that the government would conduct a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding their deaths, and the results would be made public. He emphasized that the investigation would determine which individuals were detained earlier, who were brought in later, and establish the identities and ages of those arrested.

The NSCDC had recently appointed AS Kabara as the new commandant in Minna, replacing Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, who was suspended following the incident. In a separate matter, Bago expressed condolences to members of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church in Minna District, following the death of three of its members in a motor accident along the Kaduna-Abuja road. He promised continued support from the government and urged for safe driving on the roads.