The Nigeria Police Force has secured the scene where 37 suspected illegal miners died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State, as investigations into the deaths gather momentum.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, disclosed this on Saturday after inspecting the scene alongside Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, and other security officials.
Disu said securing the location was necessary to preserve evidence and prevent anyone from tampering with the scene before investigators complete their work.
“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 at the scene of the incident,” the IGP said.
The police chief said security agencies had moved into the area following demonstrations and riots triggered by the deaths, adding that the situation had returned to calm after Governor Bago imposed a curfew.
“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 has declared a curfew and the town is calm,” Disu said.
He appealed to residents to remain peaceful while investigations continue, assuring them that the process would be transparent.
“We assure them that nothing will be kept out from their knowledge, we will not hide anything, and we will be transparent,” he said.
Disu said the police would collaborate with the committee constituted by the Niger State Government, the NSCDC and other security agencies to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
“The governor at the same time has 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,” he said.
The deaths occurred after the arrest of suspected illegal miners at an illegal mining site in Niger State.
Governor Bago had cautioned that it was too early to determine the exact cause of the deaths, saying several possibilities were being examined, including overcrowding and possible poisoning.
According to the governor, preliminary autopsy findings indicated that some of the corpses had burns and peeling skin, while foaming from the mouth and blood stains were also observed.
The state government has suspended mining activities across Niger pending the outcome of the investigations.
The Federal Ministry of Mines has also constituted a team of scientists and laboratory experts to investigate the incident and determine what led to the deaths.
The deaths had triggered protests and attacks on public and private property in parts of the state before the curfew was imposed by the governor.
