The identities of 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State have emerged as authorities continue investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The deceased were among scores of suspects arrested during operations around the Lt Gen Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna, the state capital, on September 15 and 16.
The deaths were initially attributed by the NSCDC to a suspected disease outbreak, but the precise circumstances surrounding what happened remain subject to investigation.
HOW THE NAMES WERE COMPILED
The International Human Rights Commission said it compiled the list from records obtained at the General Hospital, Minna, where some of the bodies were taken.
Awaisu Giwa, international peace ambassador at the IHRC, said the initial names were obtained from the hospital’s mortuary attendant on the instruction of the chief medical director.
“We got the list from the CMD of the general hospital. It was written by the mortuary attendant for us, but we are going to the hospital tomorrow for the list to be on the official letterhead of the hospital,” he said.
Giwa added that some families whose relatives were missing later approached the commission, resulting in four additional names being included.
“The CMD was the one who instructed the mortuary attendant to give us the names. Some people whose relatives were missing are beginning to report in our office,” he said.
The commission said the identification exercise could also assist efforts relating to compensation for the families of the deceased.
THE 37 IDENTIFIED VICTIMS
The names released are:
- Ibrahim Sani
- Fahad Sa’adu
- Abdulsalam Ismail
- Usman Aliyu
- Abubakar Alhaji
- Sani Nasir
- Sanusi Khalid
- Ahmad Aliyu
- Safiyanu Abdullahi
- Suleiman Dantala
- Idris Haruna
- Sani Yakubu
- Safiyanu Abubakar
- Abdullahi Abubakar
- Abubakar Musa
- Abdul Mudassir
- Suleiman Lawal
- Usman Abdullahi
- Samuel Sambo
- Ibrahim Musa
- Yusuf Nasiru
- Umar Lawal
- Isyaku Amisu
- Bissallah Adamu
- Abdulbari Suleiman
- Shafisu Lado
- Usman Ahmad
- Usman Ibrahim
- Sani Isyaku
- Musa Ibrahim
- Idris Bashir
- Kabiru Suleiman
- Emmanuel Emeka
Four additional names — reportedly supplied separately after relatives approached the commission and were not included in the initial General Hospital, Minna, list — are:
- Mu’awiya AbdulKarim
- Abdul Gafar Abubakar
- Usman Haruna
- Yaro Salihu Soba
PROBE INTO THE DEATHS
The Federal Government has ordered an investigation into the deaths and constituted a 10-member independent committee to examine the incident, while several NSCDC personnel have been suspended.
The NSCDC also said 24 personnel, including the suspended Niger State commandant, Suberu Aniviye, had been arrested in connection with the deaths as the investigation widened.
The identification of the victims comes as families and human rights groups seek clarity over what happened to the detainees following their arrests during the anti-illegal-mining operation.
While the initial official explanation referred to a suspected disease outbreak, authorities have not yet established a final cause of death, leaving the ongoing investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
