Names of 37 ‘Illegal Miners’ who died in NSCDC custody in Niger emerge

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.

The victims were among scores of suspects arrested during operations around Lt Gen Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna, the state capital, on September 15 and 16.

The deaths were announced after the suspects were detained by the NSCDC.

Suberu Aniviye, who was the NSCDC commandant in Niger State at the time, said scores of detained suspects were found dead in the early hours of September 18 following a suspected outbreak of disease.

The development prompted the Federal Government to suspend Aniviye and order an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) subsequently compiled a list of the deceased.

Awaisu Giwa, the commission’s international peace ambassador, said the initial list was obtained from records at the General Hospital, Minna.

He said four additional names were later added after relatives of victims whose names were missing from the hospital records approached the commission.

Giwa said the list would also assist efforts to facilitate compensation for the families of the deceased.

The 37 victims identified are:

1. Ibrahim Sani
2. Fahad Sa’adu
3. Abdulsalam Ismail
4. Usman Aliyu
5. Abubakar Alhaji
6. Sani Nasir
7. Sanusi Khalid
8. Ahmad Aliyu
9. Safiyanu Abdullahi
10. Suleiman Dantala
11. Idris Haruna
12. Sani Yakubu
13. Safiyanu Abubakar
14. Abdullahi Abubakar
15. Abubakar Musa
16. Abdul Mudassir
17. Suleiman Lawal
18. Usman Abdullahi
19. Samuel Sambo
20. Ibrahim Musa
21. Yusuf Nasiru
22. Umar Lawal
23. Isyaku Amisu
24. Bissallah Adamu
25. Abdulbari Suleiman
26. Shafisu Lado
27. Usman Ahmad
28. Usman Ibrahim
29. Sani Isyaku
30. Musa Ibrahim
31. Idris Bashir
32. Kabiru Suleiman
33. Emmanuel Emeka
34. Mu’awiya AbdulKarim
35. Abdul Gafar Abubakar
36. Usman Haruna
37. Yaro Salihu Soba

The last four names were not included in the initial General Hospital list but were later supplied by relatives, according to the IHRC.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain subject to investigation.