The Federal Government has donated N250 million to the families of 37 suspected illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State, promising that those found responsible will face the law.
Vice President Kashim Shettima made the pledge on Monday during a condolence visit to Minna, the state capital, where he conveyed the sympathies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, the bereaved families and the people of the state.
The 37 persons died on September 17 after the NSCDC detained them on suspicion of illegal mining. The cause of their deaths has yet to be established.
Shettima, in a statement on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, recalled that President Tinubu had ordered a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
He said the government had set up an independent investigative committee of 10 members and suspended officers connected with the case while the probe continues.
Describing the incident as a stain on the nation’s conscience, the Vice President said the government’s duty to protect the life and dignity of every Nigerian does not end when a citizen is taken into custody.
“The deaths of 37 young men in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps are a blot on our national conscience. No parent should receive a body when they are waiting for a son to come home,” he said.
He stressed that the administration would not prejudge the investigation but would ensure that the circumstances of the deaths are fully established and responsibility determined.
“On President Tinubu’s directive, an independent investigative panel has been constituted to establish the facts, determine responsibility and lay the foundation for justice and closure.
“There can be no repose for leaders when lives are lost within the perimeter of their care. A citizen deprived of liberty remains entitled to the protection of the state. No allegation, however grave, diminishes that entitlement. No uniform confers immunity from accountability,” Shettima said.
The Vice President added that the federal government’s response goes beyond finding the immediate cause of the deaths, since accountability and due process remain basic obligations of the state.
“We owe justice to every soul lost, answers to every bereaved family and due process to every person under investigation. Whoever is found culpable must answer before the law. Our duty to you outlives this visit,” he said.
The independent committee is mandated to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths and recommend measures to prevent a recurrence.
It is chaired by Jonathan Kure, a retired Deputy Director General of the Department of State Services, while Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN, a former Director General of the Nigerian Law School, serves as secretary.
Shettima said the tragedy should also remind government that law enforcement and the protection of human dignity are responsibilities that reinforce each other.
“We have come to you today without the togas of partisan politics. We come as sympathisers, as parents, as uncles and aunts, as brothers and sisters, and, above all, as leaders entrusted with your protection.
“We have come to share your grief, to hear your concerns, to stand beside the bereaved and to reaffirm our obligation to protect every citizen, without distinction or exception,” he maintained.
Thanking Governor Bago for supporting the pursuit of justice and caring for those affected, the Vice President said, “Every victim deserves dignity, every survivor deserves care, and every family deserves the truth.”
He prayed for God’s mercy upon the departed and for strength for their families to bear the loss.
Earlier, Governor Bago commended the Vice President for visiting on behalf of the President, calling it a powerful show of empathy and solidarity with the affected families.
He noted that both the President and the Vice President were out of the country when the incident happened. President Tinubu was on annual leave, while Shettima was representing Nigeria at the UN General Assembly.
The Governor said the President’s message had been clearly delivered to the families and the people of the state. He thanked Shettima for his humility and commitment to the region, while noting that the occasion was primarily for mourning and condolence.
“However, your message has been delivered clearly to the families and the people of the Niger State that upon your return, insha Allah, you are here today. You have made it; we thank you,” he stated.
The Principal Private Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Emmanuel Umar, said the deaths of the 37 miners in NSCDC custody in Minna had left families, communities and the entire state in grief. He added that the Vice President’s visit confirms that President Tinubu stands firmly with Nigerians.
Umar said the tragedy affected the whole state and not only the families of the deceased, noting that Shettima’s visit was felt not merely because of his office, but because he came as a leader and a friend who shares the state’s pain.
“We are particularly grateful that you have chosen to come in person. Your presence sends a powerful message of solidarity to the affected families and to all the people of Niger State, that the federal government, led by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, stands with its citizens,” Umar stated.
After concluding his trip to Niger State, the Vice President proceeded to Maiduguri, Borno State, to condole with Governor Babagana Zulum over the death of Amina (Inna) Zulum, who died on Monday morning.
Shettima prayed that Allah grant her soul eternal rest and reward her with Aljannah Firdaus, and that the family find the fortitude to bear the loss.
