The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has vowed to unravel the circumstances surrounding the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in Niger State.
Tunji-Ojo gave the assurance on Friday in Minna when he led a delegation from the Ministry of Interior on a condolence visit to the Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, over the incident.
The 37 suspected illegal miners reportedly died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Niger Command.
Describing the incident as sad and unfortunate, the minister said the circumstances surrounding the deaths must be thoroughly investigated.
He assured the state government that the Federal Ministry of Interior would collaborate with the Niger State Government to establish what led to the deaths.
“I’m here to commiserate with the government and people of Niger. It is a sad one.
“I want to assure you that this will not slide. We must ensure we get to the root of the matter,” he said.
Tunji-Ojo said the ministry would take all necessary steps to determine the circumstances that led to the deaths and ensure that relevant facts were established.
Responding, Bago thanked the minister for the prompt visit, saying it demonstrated the Federal Government’s concern over the incident.
The governor also called for a thorough investigation to determine the root causes of the deaths.
He appealed to residents of Minna to remain calm, assuring them that the state government would take appropriate steps to address the situation.
The minister, accompanied by the governor, also visited the Department of State Services (DSS) office to see some of the survivors.
The visit was aimed at assessing their condition and obtaining information that could assist investigators in determining the circumstances surrounding the incident.
