The Federal Government has inaugurated a 10-member Independent Investigative Committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths of 37 people in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.
The committee was inaugurated in Abuja on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, by the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Speaking at the inauguration, Tunji-Ojo charged the committee to conduct its investigation independently and without interference, saying its primary responsibility was to establish the truth behind the deaths.
He described justice as the “best gift” the country could offer the families of the deceased, stressing that the government owed the victims and their relatives a duty to establish what happened.
The minister commended President Tinubu for directing the immediate constitution of the panel and praised its members for accepting the assignment despite many of them having retired after decades of public service.
He said the committee’s mandate includes establishing the identities of the deceased; investigating and documenting the circumstances surrounding their arrest and detention; determining the cause and manner of death through appropriate medical and forensic examinations; and establishing whether negligence, misconduct, complicity or any breach of duty occurred.
The committee is also expected to recommend appropriate disciplinary measures, compensation where applicable, and steps to prevent a recurrence.
Tunji-Ojo directed the NSCDC leadership and all relevant officers to provide the committee with full cooperation, while ordering that all records and material evidence relating to the incident be preserved and made available.
He warned against any attempt to destroy or conceal evidence, intimidate witnesses or obstruct the investigation, saying such actions would be treated as serious offences.
