Names of 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State, Nigeria have been made public.
The situation arises as the NSCDC arrested 24 of its officers, including the Niger State Commandant, Commandant Subaru Siyaka Aniviye, over the deaths.
The affected officers are expected to undergo investigation as authorities seek to determine what led to the deaths of the suspects while in custody.
International Peace Ambassador of the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC), Awaisu Giwa, said the commission initially obtained the list through the hospital’s mortuary attendant, following an instruction from the Chief Medical Director (CMD).
However, Giwa said four additional names were later added after relatives of victims whose names were not contained in the hospital records approached the commission.
“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.
“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.
Giwa said the list would also assist the commission in facilitating compensation for the families of the deceased.
Names of 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in custody 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
- Mu’awiya AbdulKarim
- Abdul Gafar Abubakar
- Usman Haruna
- Aro Salihu Soba
According to the information released, Mu’awiya AbdulKarim, Abdul Gafar Abubakar, Usman Haruna and Aro Salihu Soba were not included in the general hospital list.
(Photo: BBC)