No Life Should Be Lost In State Custody, Says Minister As NSCDC Death Probe Begins
On behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, has inaugurated a 10 member Independent Investigative Committee to investigate the reported deaths of 37 persons in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State. Extending condolences to the families of the deceased and the government and people of Niger State, the Minister said no life should be lost in the custody of the state, insisting that this is not what the Tinubu administration stands for. He disclosed that upon receiving the report, he took two immediate actions, ordering the suspension of the Niger State Commandant and all officers on duty between September 15 and 17, and inaugurating the Independent Investigative Committee to establish the full truth of what happened. The committee, chaired by Jonathan Kure, a retired Deputy Director General of the Department of State Services, with Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma as Secretary, has been given a mandate the Minister described as thorough and non negotiable. Its tasks include identifying the deceased and determining the causes of their deaths, investigating the circumstances of their arrest and detention, examining the legality of the detention facility, and establishing whether the deceased were subjected to torture or denied medical care. The Minister said the committee has been granted full authority to co opt experts, access all facilities and documents, conduct forensic examinations and request memoranda from the public, with an interim report expected within two weeks. He directed NSCDC leadership to cooperate fully and preserve all evidence without delay, warning that any attempt to destroy evidence, intimidate witnesses or obstruct the investigation would be treated as a serious offence. To Nigerians, the Minister said the government owes them the truth and that no officer, however highly placed, would be shielded if found culpable, while appealing to the affected families for calm and patience. He stressed that leadership is not a popularity contest, and that the Commission’s responsibility is to uphold the trust of the President and Nigerians through a thorough, impartial and transformative investigative process. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed
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