Niger State Governor Umaru Bago has constituted a nine-member Judicial Commission of Inquiry to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths of 37 people who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Bago inaugurated the commission on Tuesday in Minna, directing members to conduct an impartial and thorough investigation and establish the facts surrounding the incident.
NPO Reports recall that the 37 detainees died on September 17 while in NSCDC custody following their arrest on September 15 and 16 around Lt Gen Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna, the Niger state capital.
The panel is expected to examine how the deceased were arrested and detained, including whether their custody was lawful and the conditions under which they were held.
Its mandate also covers the treatment of the detainees while in custody, the circumstances and causes of their deaths, and the conduct of NSCDC personnel involved in their arrest and detention.
The commission will also examine available medical and forensic evidence and determine issues of responsibility and accountability before making recommendations based on its findings.
Bago said the panel was established under the law to get to the root of the incident and provide a clear account of what led to the deaths.
The governor gave the commission four weeks to complete its assignment, urging members to discharge their duties in accordance with the law and without bias.
He said the findings would help the state government determine the appropriate steps to take following the incident.
Niger State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Nasiru Mu’azu, said the governor had the legal authority to establish the commission.
Mu’azu said the inquiry was coming at a time of significant public concern but stressed that its establishment should not be interpreted as prejudging any person or institution.
He said the commission’s task was to examine the evidence and circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Mu’azu also stressed that the alleged status of the deceased as illegal miners did not remove their fundamental rights or the state’s responsibility to protect their lives.
The commission is chaired by Justice Mohammed Mohammed of the Niger State High Court of Justice.
Its other members include Mohammed Ndamiso, Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Minna Branch; Joseph Kolo, Permanent Secretary, Office of the Head of Service; Chief Magistrate Hafsat Abdullahi; Professor Danladi Yunusa-Hakimi; Abubakar Musa; Habila Daniel; Nana-Hauwa Isah; and Babangida Sani-Muji.
