The Take It Back (TIB) Movement Coordinator in Niger State, Comrade Mohammed Audu, has condemned the reported death of more than 37 miners who were allegedly in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, the state capital.
Audu, in a statement issued in Minna described the incident as “barbaric, inhuman and tragic,” saying it amounted to a serious violation of fundamental human rights that must not be allowed to go unpunished.
The TIB coordinator said he visited the scene at the General Hospital in Minna, where the bodies of the deceased miners were deposited in the mortuary. He said he was shocked and deeply disturbed by the development, describing it as unthinkable that more than 37 citizens could die while in the custody of a security agency constitutionally mandated to protect lives and property.
Audu called for an immediate, independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
He also demanded that the NSCDC leadership at both the state and national levels provide clear answers to Nigerians on what happened to the miners while they were in custody.
The TIB coordinator further called for all officers involved in the arrest, detention and reported torture of the miners to be identified, arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
He said those responsible must be held accountable if investigations establish that the deaths resulted from unlawful actions or abuse while the miners were in custody.
Audu extended his condolences to the families of the deceased miners and the wider mining community in Niger State, describing the reported deaths as a monumental loss.
He prayed to Almighty Allah to forgive the shortcomings of the deceased miners, grant them Aljannatul Firdaus and give their families the strength to bear the loss.
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