Lawan Mohammed is distraught over the death of his 25-year-old son Sulieman who was found dead in the custody of a Nigerian security agency in Niger state.
Lawan Mohammed is distraught over the death of his 25-year-old son Sulieman who was found dead in the custody of a Nigerian security agency in the north-central region of the country.
He said Sulieman was a motorcycle mechanic in Niger state and was on his way home when he and some friends were arrested by personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, or NSCDC.
“I went there the following morning to give him food, only to hear that he was dead,” Mohammed said.
On Thursday, Sulieman was found dead in a cell of the NSCDC along with 36 other detainees. A total of 67 people suspected of being miners working illegally were held in a cell, and 37 of them probably died of suffocation, Niger state Governor Umar Bago said on Friday. The suspects were arrested between Tuesday and Wednesday.
Investigation underway
The security agency on Thursday blamed the deaths on a possible disease outbreak. An investigation is underway to determine what caused the deaths.
On Saturday, the Nigerian government named a ten-member committee drawn from the legal, security, mining and medical professions, and announced the suspension of 20 more NSCDC personnel. The head of the security agency in Niger state had been suspended on Friday.
“Any attempt to destroy or conceal evidence, intimidate witnesses or obstruct the investigation will be treated as a serious offence,” Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said in a statement.
Mohammed said: “I had a lot of expectations for my son, but now (they have) been shattered completely. I am really hurt. I want the government to make sure that justice prevails.”
Survivor recounts ordeal
“Even when arrests are lawful, suspects must be kept in safe conditions and given timely medical attention,” Kehinde Giwa, a security analyst at Lagos-based SBM Intelligence, said about the deaths of the suspects.
Mubarak Dahiru, a survivor who appeared traumatised by his ordeal, said while in detention they were sweating profusely and pleaded with NSCDC officials for water and food, but their requests were ignored.
“They used their guns and hit us with them," Dahiru said.
Nigerian Bar Association President Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya said the death of 37 people while in the custody of a government agency is an “event of the utmost gravity and demands a thorough, independent, transparent and credible investigation.”
Illegal mining remains a challenge in Nigeria. Analysts have linked illegal mining activities in Nigeria’s north-central and northwest regions to armed gangs involved in kidnappings for ransom, claiming the groups receive funding from the illicit trade.
US military puts Iran war cost at $43.6 billion in latest estimate
US war on Iran is affecting oil prices and stock market and has led to deaths and injuries of American troops while its political costs will be calculated in November's midterm congressional elections.
Bill proposes South Sudan's Kiir retains all presidential powers and dismiss VPs ahead of elections
A bill has been introduced in South Sudan's parliament seeking to bring to a formal end the existence of five vice-president posts ahead of the country's general election planned for December 22, 2026.
Multiple unions threaten strikes at Barrick Gold sites in Mali
Unions representing workers at the Loulo-Gounkoto gold complex in Mali, operated by Barrick Mining, have issued a series of strike notices to management.
