/ Sep 29, 2026
/ Sep 29, 2026

37 Niger miners’ deaths: Panel assures families of fair probe

Published on

By

The 10-member Independent Investigative Committee probing the deaths of 37 artisanal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has assured affected families that it will conduct a fair and independent investigation.

 

The committee chairman, retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Jonathan Kure, gave the assurance during a courtesy visit to Niger State Governor Umaru Bago at the Government House in Minna.

Kure said the panel had commenced its assignment following its inauguration by the Federal Government, adding that its medical team began work shortly afterwards to preserve and establish evidence that could help determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

He said the committee would establish what went wrong and determine responsibility where necessary, while ensuring that people found not to have been involved were treated fairly.

“We will do our best to unravel what went wrong and apportion blame where blame needs to go. Anybody who has been brought into this that has nothing to do with it, where we see it, we will also be fair to such a person,” Kure said.

The committee chairman also expressed condolences to the government and people of Niger State, describing the incident as a matter of concern to both the state and the country.

Responding, Governor Bago pledged the full cooperation and support of the Niger State Government to enable the committee to carry out its responsibilities.

Bago expressed confidence that the panel, which comprises professionals from relevant sectors, would establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the 37 miners.

“The world is watching, and the committee consists of people of integrity across relevant sectors. I believe they will do justice,” the governor said.

The investigation is expected to establish what led to the deaths of the artisanal miners and determine responsibility where necessary.

You May Like

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Most Popular

Must Read

NDC candidate, Anaocha 1, Anambra politics, Nkechi Ogbuefi, Azubuike Okoye, 2027 Anambra election

Lawyer sues NDC, INEC over Anambra Reps primary result

A legal practitioner, Obunike Ohaegbu, has sued the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the alleged failure to declare the result of the party’s primary election for the Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency in Anambra State.   Ohaegbu filed the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1219/2026, at the Federal High Court in Abuja over the primary held on May 29, 2026, to select the NDC’s candidate for the 2027 House of Representatives election. He listed NDC, Ebere Onunkwo, Socrates Ebo, INEC and Peter Uzokwe as the first to fifth defendants. In the originating summons, Ohaegbu claimed that he participated in the primary and scored the highest number of lawful votes. He is asking the court to determine whether, based on the votes he allegedly secured, he should be recognised as the validly elected and nominated NDC candidate for the constituency. The lawyer is also challenging the party’s alleged failure or refusal to collate, announce and publish the primary result despite the conclusion of the voting process by its appointed electoral officers. Ohaegbu further challenged an alleged NDC directive that the result should not be announced at the venue of the primary but only at the party’s national headquarters. He wants the court to determine whether such a directive could be used to suppress, alter, substitute or refuse to declare the lawful winner of the primary. The plaintiff is also challenging the process through which Uzokwe was recognised as the NDC candidate. Among the reliefs sought, Ohaegbu wants the court to declare him the validly elected and nominated candidate and order the NDC to formally declare and return him as the winner of the primary. He is also seeking an order preventing the party from substituting his name with another candidate and directing the NDC to submit and upload his name and particulars to INEC. Ohaegbu further wants INEC restrained from accepting, recognising or publishing the name of anyone other than him as the NDC candidate, should the court determine that he lawfully won the primary. At Monday’s proceedings, the case could not proceed because the second, third and fifth defendants had not been served with the mandatory hearing notice and were absent from court. Counsel to Ohaegbu, Ifeanyi Nrialike, told the court that the parties had filed and exchanged the relevant processes. The court directed that hearing notices be served on the absent defendants and adjourned the case until October 14, 2026. The judge also ordered that proof of service on all parties must be presented before the next hearing.
Read more

Editor's Pick

Trending News

Newsletter

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

You have been successfully Subscribed! Ops! Something went wrong, please try again.

© 2026 GongNews. All Rights Reserved.