The Nigeria Police Force has secured the scene where 37 suspected illegal miners died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State.
The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, disclosed this on Saturday after inspecting the facility alongside the Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, and other security officials.
Disu said securing the location was necessary to prevent the tampering, removal or introduction of evidence as investigations into the deaths continue.
“We have to keep the place safe, we have to keep it clean, we have to ensure that nothing is removed and nothing is added in the scene of the incident,” the IGP said.
The deaths, which occurred on Thursday, September 17, followed the arrest and detention of suspected illegal miners in the state.
The incident had sparked protests and unrest in parts of Niger, with some demonstrators reportedly attacking public and private property.
Disu said the situation had since stabilised following the imposition of a curfew by the state government.
“We noticed before past two, three hours ago, there have been a kind of demonstration, riot. People want to take laws into their hands, but luckily, decisively, the governor of the state have declared a curfew and the town is calm,” he said.
The police boss appealed to residents to remain peaceful, assuring them that the investigation would be conducted transparently.
“We assure them that nothing will be kept out from their knowledge, we will not hide anything, and we will be transparent,” Disu said.
He added that the police would collaborate with the committee established by the Niger State Government, the NSCDC and other relevant security agencies to determine what led to the deaths.
“The governor at the same time have set up a committee. We are going to work with the committee, we are going to work with the NSCDC and other security agencies to ensure that the truth is unravelled,” the IGP said.
Meanwhile, Governor Bago had cautioned against drawing conclusions on the cause of death, saying investigations were still at an early stage.
He disclosed that preliminary autopsy observations showed that some of the bodies had burns and peeling skin, while foaming from the mouth and blood stains were also observed.
The Niger State Government has suspended mining activities across the state pending the outcome of the investigations.
The Federal Ministry of Mines has also assembled scientists and laboratory experts to investigate the incident and determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The Federal Government had separately constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the deaths and directed the suspension of NSCDC officers linked to the incident.
