The Federal Government has inaugurated a 10-member independent investigative committee to probe the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State, warning that anyone who destroys evidence, intimidates witnesses, or obstructs the investigation will face the full force of the law.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, gave the warning on Tuesday in Abuja while inaugurating the committee, which was constituted following President Bola Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive, transparent, and unhindered investigation into the deaths.

Tunji-Ojo directed the NSCDC leadership and all officers connected to the incident to cooperate fully with the committee and ensure that all records and material evidence relating to the deaths were preserved and made available to investigators.

“All records and material evidence connected to this incident, I have directed that they must be preserved and made available. Let me sound a very strong note of warning: any attempt by anybody to destroy or conceal evidence, intimidate witnesses, or obstruct this investigation will be treated as a serious offence against the nation, and it will not be tolerated.

“If it ever happens, I give you my word, the full hammer of the law will descend on such an individual,” he said.

The minister said the Federal Government was committed to uncovering the truth and ensuring accountability, regardless of the position of anyone found culpable.

“To Nigerians, I say this: we owe you the truth. This committee will give you the truth. No officer, no matter how highly placed, or any individual will be shielded if found culpable.

“To the families who lost loved ones, I appeal for calm and patience. This government will not and will never abandon you,” he said.

Tunji-Ojo challenged members of the committee to ensure that their findings led to appropriate action, assuring them that their report would not be ignored or “swept under the carpet”.

“I challenge you: let your antecedent speak when the report is submitted, and I assure you of one thing: this report will not be swept under the carpet.

“We will call a meeting like this; we will present the report, and whoever needs to be prosecuted will be prosecuted, and whoever needs to be dealt with in line with the law will be dealt with,” he said.

The minister added that President Tinubu was committed to ensuring justice and protecting Nigerians, regardless of the individuals involved.

The committee is chaired by retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, while former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN, serves as secretary.

Other members are retired AIG Hosea Hassan Karma; Prof. Olayinka Buhari, a Professor of Histopathology and former Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital; a representative of the Minna Emirate Council; and a representative of the Niger State Government.

The remaining members are Alhaji Liman Sulaiman, National Secretary of the Miners Association of Nigeria; Deji Adeyanju, lawyer and human rights activist; Zainab Suleiman Okino of Blueprint newspaper; and Dr. George Agbakahi, a public affairs analyst.

The committee is mandated to establish the identities of the deceased and investigate the circumstances surrounding their arrest and detention, as well as the cause and circumstances of their deaths.

It is also expected to determine responsibility, complicity, negligence, or misconduct and recommend appropriate action, including compensation where applicable, as well as measures to prevent a recurrence.

The committee may co-opt relevant experts, access facilities and documents, visit relevant locations, and request memoranda from members of the public. It has two weeks to complete its investigation and submit its report to the Minister of Interior.

The 37 detainees died on Thursday, September 17, 2026, while in the custody of the NSCDC Niger State Command. The suspects had been arrested during NSCDC operations against suspected illegal mining in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16.

The cause of the deaths has not been established. The NSCDC initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, while the Federal Government ordered an investigation to establish what happened.

The incident has generated public outrage, with survivors alleging that detainees were held in an overcrowded and poorly ventilated cell and that an unidentified substance was sprayed inside. Those allegations form part of the issues to be examined by the committee. Reuters reported that survivors described severe breathing difficulties after an unidentified substance was allegedly sprayed inside the cell, while the authorities have yet to establish the cause of death.

The Federal Government has suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, and 20 other officers pending the outcome of the investigation. The State House said the suspensions covered officers directly connected with the incident.

The NSCDC also paraded its state commandant and other officers linked to the deaths of the detainees on Sunday at its National Headquarters in Sauka, Abuja.

The Corps’ National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commandant Babawale Afolabi, briefed journalists on the preliminary findings into the incident during the exercise.

Tunji-Ojo said the investigation must provide Nigerians and the families of the deceased with a clear account of what happened, stressing that no officer or individual would be shielded if found culpable.

The committee’s findings are expected to determine not only the immediate cause of the deaths but also whether negligence, misconduct, complicity, or other failures contributed to the incident, and to recommend measures to prevent a recurrence.