Niger Illegal Mining Deaths: Interior Minister Suspends NSCDC Commandant, Orders Investigation

 

The suspension of Aniviye, according to the minister, would remain in place while the investigation into the incident is ongoing.

The Nigerian Government has ordered the immediate suspension of the Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, following the reported deaths of over 30 suspected illegal miners in Minna, the Niger State capital.

The suspension was ordered by the Federal Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, after reports emerged of the deaths of some suspected illegal miners arrested during enforcement operations in the state.

The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Thursday around the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis of Minna, days after the suspects were arrested during enforcement operations conducted in parts of Niger State on September 15 and 16, 2026.

In a statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser to the Minister on Media and Publicity, Alao Babatunde, the minister directed that a full investigation be conducted to establish the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths.

The suspension of Aniviye, according to the minister, would remain in place while the investigation into the incident is ongoing.

“It is an unfortunate incident, however, a full investigation will be conducted while the commandant under whose watch this happened remains suspended,” Tunji-Ojo said.

The minister said the government’s priority remained the protection of lives, stressing that the Federal Government had consistently worked towards achieving that objective.

“We run a government whose ultimate priority is security of lives and we have worked to stay true to this,” he declared.

The reported deaths have raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding the treatment of the suspected illegal miners following their arrest during enforcement activities in the state.

However, the Federal Government did not provide further details on the number of people who reportedly died, the identities of the deceased or the immediate circumstances that led to their deaths.

The minister’s directive means that the Niger State NSCDC commandant will remain suspended while relevant authorities examine the events leading to the reported casualties.

The investigation is expected to establish what happened between the arrest of the suspected illegal miners during the September 15 and 16 enforcement operations and the reported deaths in the early hours of Thursday.

The Federal Government also appealed to members of the public to remain calm and law-abiding while the investigation is conducted.

Tunji-Ojo urged the public to allow the authorities to carry out what he described as a transparent investigation process into the incident.

He said, “It is an unfortunate incident,” while assuring that the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths would be investigated.

The minister also commiserated with the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, as well as the families and relatives of those who died in the incident.

The NSCDC is among the security agencies under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Interior and has responsibilities that include protecting critical national assets and infrastructure, as well as supporting law enforcement and maintaining public safety.

The enforcement operations that preceded the incident were reportedly carried out as part of efforts to tackle illegal mining activities in Niger State.

Illegal mining has remained a major concern in several parts of Nigeria, with authorities frequently conducting enforcement operations against individuals and groups accused of engaging in unauthorised mining activities.

The latest incident, however, has shifted attention to the conduct of security personnel during such enforcement operations, with the Federal Government now seeking to establish the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths.

The suspension of the state commandant pending investigation also signals an administrative response by the Interior Ministry as authorities seek to determine whether any wrongdoing occurred during or after the arrests.

The government has not announced when the investigation will be concluded or disclosed the specific officials or agencies that will conduct it.

Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that no fewer than 33 suspected illegal miners were feared dead after they were detained by NSCDC in Niger State, following an operation against illegal mining activities in the state.

The suspects were arrested during a September 15 and 16 operation and detained at an NSCDC facility in Minna.

The deaths were discovered in the early hours of Thursday, September 17, after a suspected disease outbreak among the detainees.

SOURCE: SAHARA REPORTERS