The Federal Government has inaugurated a 10-member independent committee to investigate the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State.

Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo inaugurated the committee on Tuesday in Abuja, following President Bola Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive investigation into the incident.

The committee is chaired by retired DSS Deputy Director-General Jonathan Kure, while former Nigerian Law School Director-General, Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN, serves as secretary.

Its members include retired AIG Hosea Hassan Karma; Prof. Olayinka Buhari, a former Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital; representatives of the Minna Emirate Council and Niger State Government; Miners Association of Nigeria National Secretary Liman Sulaiman; human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju; Blueprint journalist Zainab Suleiman Okino; and public affairs analyst Dr George Agbakahi.

The 37 detainees died on Thursday, September 17, while in the custody of the NSCDC Niger State Command. The cause of death remains unknown.

Tunji-Ojo condoled with the victims’ families and urged calm, assuring that the investigation would seek justice for the deceased.

The committee has two weeks to complete its investigation and submit its report to the minister.

“There is absolutely no excuse for justice not to be done,” the minister told members of the committee.