President Bola Tinubu has ordered a full and transparent investigation into the reported deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, as Governor Umaru Bago declared a 24-hour curfew in the state capital following protests over the incident.

The President, in a statement on Friday, said the government would not tolerate mass deaths arising from official negligence, dereliction of duty, or failure by public officials to protect the lives of people placed under their care.

The deaths reportedly occurred after the suspects were detained following enforcement operations around Lt. Gen. Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna.

President Tinubu said the life of every Nigerian mattered and that no citizen should lose their life while in government custody as a result of negligence, abuse, inhumane treatment, or dereliction of duty.

Describing the incident as a grave matter requiring urgent investigation and accountability, the President said enforcement operations against illegal mining and other criminal activities must be conducted within the law and with full respect for the dignity and fundamental rights of people in custody.

“While the Federal Government would continue to combat illegal mining and other criminal activities across the country, enforcement operations must be conducted strictly within the law and with full respect for the dignity and fundamental rights of every person in custody,” he was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

“The fact that these individuals were suspected of illegal mining does not in any way remove their right to life, dignity, and humane treatment while in government custody. Government will not tolerate mass deaths arising from official negligence, dereliction of duty, or failure by public officials to protect the lives placed under their care.”

“Where the investigation establishes that any official, through action, abuse, or negligence, contributed to these deaths, such an officer must be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law. There must be accountability,” Tinubu added.

The President directed the relevant authorities to ensure that the investigation was comprehensive, transparent, and unhindered.

He said the investigation should cover the circumstances surrounding the arrests, the condition of the detainees when they were taken into custody, the conditions under which they were detained, the number of people held in the facility, the medical attention provided, and the events leading to their deaths.

“The suspension of officers is only an administrative step and must not substitute for a proper determination of criminal responsibility where the evidence warrants prosecution,” the President said.

He also directed the Ministry of Interior and the NSCDC leadership to cooperate fully with all relevant investigative authorities and ensure that no officer interfered with the process or attempted to frustrate the establishment of the truth.

The President extended his condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed for the repose of their souls.

He also appealed for calm among the families and communities affected by the tragedy, assuring them that the Federal Government would pursue the truth and take appropriate action based on credible evidence.

“We must never allow the pursuit of one form of illegality to create another. The government must enforce the law firmly, but it must also obey the law. The sanctity of human life is non-negotiable,” Tinubu added.

Meanwhile, Bago has declared a 24-hour curfew in Minna following Thursday’s protest and unrest linked to the deaths.

The curfew took effect immediately after the Friday Jumu’ah prayers and will remain in force until further notice.

The governor urged residents to remain indoors and avoid all unnecessary movement, while directing security agencies to enforce the order and ensure the protection of lives and property across the metropolis.

Bago also announced the constitution of a committee of inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

According to him, the NSCDC commandant in Niger State and his team had been suspended to allow for a proper investigation into the incident.

“The most important is that people died in the custody of the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps. They were detained in their cells, and this morning we woke up to the news that 37 of them had died,” Bago said.

The governor said the cause of the deaths had not been officially established, warning that it was too early to draw conclusions.

He said possible causes being investigated included suffocation resulting from overcrowding in the detention cell and exposure to hazardous chemicals associated with illegal mining.

“It could be as a result of suffocation because there were so many in a cell. The second issue could be because of exposure to maybe lead poisoning or other very hazardous chemicals that are used to do the illegal mining,” he said.

Bago said forensic examinations, medical examinations, and autopsies were being conducted to establish the scientific cause of the deaths.

He added that committees constituted by the NSCDC, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services were also investigating the incident alongside the committee set up by the state government.

The governor said reports that some of the deceased had peeling skin and were foaming at the mouth with blood were among the issues being examined by investigators.

However, he cautioned against drawing conclusions until the forensic and medical investigations had been completed.

One of the survivors also alleged that the suspects were kept in a small room and that an unpleasant substance was sprayed before the cell was locked.

Bago subsequently announced the closure of the illegal mining site in the MiOshishi area, saying mining activities there had been conducted without appropriate technology and safety equipment.

He also announced the suspension of all mining activities across Niger State pending the conclusion of the investigations.

The governor appealed for calm following the movement of the bodies to the mortuary, which he said had triggered emotional reactions and violence among some youths.

The Ministry of Interior also said it had suspended the state commander of the NSCDC.