NIGER State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Minna, the state capital, following unrest linked to the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The curfew takes effect immediately after the Friday Jumu’ah prayers and will remain in force until further notice, according to a statement by the state government on Friday, September 18.
The government directed residents of the state capital to remain indoors and suspend all unnecessary movements throughout the period.
The government also directed security agencies to enforce the curfew and ensure the protection of lives and property across the metropolis.
The development followed protests and unrest in parts of Minna on Thursday night and Friday morning over the deaths of the suspected miners, including minors and other young people, who died after being arrested and detained by NSCDC operatives.
The victims were arrested at mining sites around the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis of Minna between September 15 and 16.
The NSCDC said the detainees died following a suspected disease outbreak, but the circumstances surrounding the deaths have triggered public outrage and calls for an independent investigation.
The ICIR reports that a survivor, Dauda Shehu, had told the Associated Press that about 65 detainees were held in a poorly ventilated cell.
Shehu alleged that the detainees began struggling to breathe and scrambled for fresh air before many of them died.
The Niger State Government has since constituted a committee of inquiry and ordered forensic examinations and autopsies to establish the cause of the deaths.
Governor Bago also declared three days of mourning for the victims and cancelled a political rally scheduled for Saturday in Minna.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, pending the outcome of an investigation.
The ICIR reported that eminent Nigerians, as well as local and international organisations, condemned the tragedy and demanded a thorough probe into the incident and that all those found culpable be brought to justice.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M