*Commandant Aniviye Sent Home, More Heads To Roll -FG Fumes
*Gov Bago Slams 24-Hour Curfew Following Protests
*Abuja Ready To Prosecute Erring Officers For Murder, Source Says
*’We Received Credible Information That Federal Government Wants To Use This Incident To Prove A Point That It’s Still On Side Of The People. So, The Name Of Any Officer Found Culpable In These Deaths Will Be Sorry’
*Pre-Election Season Not Good Time For Public Officers To Be Negligent In Service Delivery Leading To Deaths -Other Sources
Angry residents of Minna, the Niger State capital, took to the streets today in protests, which started yesterday, over the mysterious deaths in detention of about 37 persons arrested over suspected involvement in illegal mining.
The suspects, said to be mostly youths, died in a cell of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
In a swift response, State Governor Umar Bago, while condemning the circumstances surrounding the deaths, slammed a 24-hour curfew on the area today. The curfew began after today’s Jumaat prayers.
An obviously infuriated Federal Government (FG) has promptly suspended the NSCDC Commandant for the state, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, from office, instituted a probe into the shocking deaths and strictly warned that more heads will roll by the time the investigation is over.
People&Politics gathered that tension has gripped Civil Defence staff members at the Minna state headquarters as some of the officers and men involved in the arrest and detention of the suspects are “very jittery presently”, given that they could be named in the probe and consequently heavily sanctioned.
Sources said some are likely to face prosecution for murder.
The punishment for murder is death by hanging.
A source told People&Politics: “There is serious tension in our Minna office right now. Those who could be identified by the investigation panel are very jittery presently and fear that they may be found out.
“Both our Commandant-General and the Interior Minister are said to be very angry over the deaths which they see as totally avoidable, and have vowed to deal with and possibly charge to court those found culpable in the deaths.”
Two other staff sources said: “You know, this is pre-election season and this sort of unfortunate incident is likely going to sway public opinion against President Bola Tinubu and his government –a government already under fire over issues of performance and public welfare.
“We received credible information that the Federal Government wants to use this incident to prove a point that it’s still on the side of the people. So, the name of any officer found culpable in these deaths will indeed be sorry.”
Announcing the curfew during a press conference, Gov. Bago said it takes effect immediately after Juma’at prayers.
Detainees were discovered dead in an overcrowded holding facility on the morning of 17 September (yesterday).
But the NSCDC State Command sought to explain it away as being due to a possible disease outbreak, with survivors countering the position and revealing that they were detained in severely overcrowded and suffocating cell lacking proper ventilation.
State Commissioner of Police (CP), Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, has ordered an investigation into the incident.
According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO ), Wasiu Abiodun, the suspects arrested were found dead while in the custody of the State Command of NSCDC.
Announcing the State Commandant’s suspension today, Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said more heads will roll as the government has ordered a full-scale investigation into the incident which occurred in the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis of Minna.
The 37 suspects were part of persons arrested during an operation by the NSCDC on 15-26 September this year.
The operation was designed to rid the state of illegal mining activities.
The Commandant said various exhibits were recovered during the operation during which the suspects were arrested, adding, on a twist, that “in the early hours of 17th September, 2026, scores of the detained suspects were found dead, following a suspected outbreak of disease.”
Aniviye said the corpses had been deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination to establish the actual cause of death, adding that the Command was working with sister security agencies on the matter.
However, apparently unconvinced, in a statement by Alao Babatunde, the Interior Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Tunji-Ojo said Aniviye will remain suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.
“It is an unfortunate incident; however, a full investigation will be conducted while the Commandant under whose watch this happened remains suspended,” he said.
The Minister added: “We run a government whose ultimate priority is security of lives and we have worked to stay true to this.”
Appealing to the public to remain calm and law-abiding to allow for a transparent investigation, the Minister commiserated with Gov. Bago and the families of the deceased.
Also responding, Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Ahmed Abubakar, equally constituted a high-powered investigative team to unravel the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
National Public Relations Officer of the Corps, Babawale Afolabi, said the team will be led by the Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation (DCG-II).
“The team has been mandated to undertake a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances leading to the deaths, including the condition of the suspects upon arrest, their period in custody, the conditions of detention, medical attention provided, and other relevant circumstances surrounding the incident,” Afolabi said.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Some of the protesters… today.
