Death in Custody: Panel Recommends ₦1.4bn Compensation, Dismissal of NSCDC Commandant, Others
An independent investigative committee probing the deaths of miners in Niger State has recommended ₦1.4 billion in compensation for the families of 33 deceased victims and 44 survivors, alongside the dismissal of the state commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other officers implicated in the incident.
The committee’s chairman, Jonathan Kure, presented the report on Tuesday in Abuja, describing the deaths as avoidable and disclosing that the victims, including 14 minors, had been subjected to inhumane conditions while in detention.
The panel recommended the summary dismissal of the Niger State NSCDC commandant and all officers directly involved in the detention of the miners and the circumstances that led to their deaths.
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Beyond compensation and disciplinary measures, the committee called for institutional reforms within the NSCDC to strengthen leadership, improve accountability and prevent a recurrence of similar incidents.
Receiving the report, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, pledged to implement the committee’s recommendations to ensure justice for the victims, their families and survivors.
The minister also directed the NSCDC commandant to immediately suspend officers who allegedly cleaned up the detention facility in an attempt to destroy evidence connected to the incident.
The recommendations are intended to ensure accountability for the deaths, provide financial relief to affected families and survivors, and strengthen oversight and operational accountability within the civil defence corps.
The implementation of the recommendations is expected to determine the extent of disciplinary action against the implicated officers and the measures to be adopted to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
