Tinubu orders probe of Minna detainee deaths, demands prosecution of culpable officers

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a full and transparent investigation into the reported deaths of suspected illegal miners detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) following enforcement operations around the Lt. Gen. Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna, Niger state.

The President directed that any officer found to have contributed to the deaths through abuse, negligence or dereliction of duty should be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

President Tinubu said the life of every Nigerian matters and stressed that no citizen should die in government custody because of negligence, abuse, inhumane treatment or failure by public officials to discharge their responsibilities.

Expressing deep concern over the incident, the President described the reported deaths as a grave matter requiring an urgent, comprehensive and credible investigation to establish what happened and determine responsibility.

“While the Federal Government will continue to combat illegal mining and other criminal activities across the country, enforcement operations must be conducted strictly within the law and with full respect for the dignity and fundamental rights of every person in custody,” the President said.

He stressed that being suspected of committing an offence does not deprive anyone of the constitutional right to life, dignity and humane treatment.
“The fact that these individuals were suspected of illegal mining does not in any way remove their right to life, dignity and humane treatment while in government custody. Government will not tolerate mass deaths arising from official negligence, dereliction of duty or failure by public officials to protect the lives placed under their care.
“Where the investigation establishes that any official, through action, abuse or negligence, contributed to these deaths, such an officer must be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law. There must be accountability,” Tinubu said.
The President directed the relevant authorities to conduct an unhindered investigation covering every aspect of the incident, including the circumstances surrounding the arrests, the physical condition of the detainees when they were taken into custody, the conditions under which they were held and the number of persons detained at the facility.

He also directed investigators to establish the nature and adequacy of medical attention provided to the detainees and reconstruct the sequence of events that resulted in the reported deaths.
President Tinubu cautioned that the suspension of officers connected with the incident should not be regarded as the conclusion of the matter or a substitute for determining individual responsibility.

“The suspension of officers is only an administrative step and must not substitute for a proper determination of criminal responsibility where the evidence warrants prosecution,” he said.

The President directed the Ministry of Interior and the leadership of the NSCDC to cooperate fully with all relevant investigative authorities. He warned that no officer should interfere with the investigation, obstruct investigators or attempt to frustrate efforts to establish the truth.
President Tinubu extended his condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed for the repose of their souls.
He appealed for calm among the bereaved families and affected communities, assuring them that the Federal Government would pursue the truth and take appropriate action based on credible evidence and the findings of the investigation.
“We must never allow the pursuit of one form of illegality to create another. The government must enforce the law firmly, but it must also obey the law. The sanctity of human life is non-negotiable,” the President said.