The suspended Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Siaka Zubeiru Anirive, has apologised to families of people who died in the corps’ custody following an operation against suspected illegal mining in Minna.
Appearing before the Justice Mohammed Mohammed Commission of Inquiry, Anirive acknowledged that the incident could have been prevented and described it as a costly mistake. His testimony came as the panel examined the circumstances of the arrests, detention conditions and deaths.
Anirive told the commission that complaints from residents about mining activities near the M.I. Wushishi Housing Estate prompted him to visit the area on September 15, 2026. He said he subsequently instructed the command’s operations unit to respond, leading to arrests on the evening of September 16.
According to his account, he was informed the following day that some detainees had died. He said he went to the command headquarters, saw bodies inside the detention area and contacted Governor Mohammed Umar Bago as well as police and security officials.
Questions about the treatment of children in custody featured prominently in the proceedings. The command’s suspended legal officer, Stephen Tsado, testified that he had identified minors among those arrested and advised that they be released to their parents on bail.
Tsado said he communicated that advice to Anirive but could not explain why it had not been followed. His testimony raised questions about whether the command had adequately considered the rights and welfare of the young detainees.
A medical worker, Maryam Etang, also told the inquiry that she had visited the cell and noticed one suspect coughing severely. She said she was surprised to see the body of Emeka Emmanuel among those removed because, to her knowledge, he had not been among the miners arrested in the operation.
The precise death toll also remained in dispute. An earlier witness from Minna General Hospital reportedly testified that 33 bodies reached the mortuary, while other official accounts had referred to 37 deaths.
The commission is expected to establish who was detained, how the victims died, whether appropriate medical care was available and whether any officials breached legal or professional duties. An apology does not determine criminal responsibility, and the inquiry’s findings remain essential to accountability.
