The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for a thorough and independent investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.
NLC President Joe Ajaero made the call in a statement on Monday, urging authorities to establish the circumstances surrounding the victims’ arrest, detention, and deaths.
The victims were among suspects arrested during NSCDC operations against illegal mining in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16. They were found dead in custody on September 17. Reports indicate that some of the victims were minors.
The Federal Government has since constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the incident, while officers linked to the deaths have been suspended. The committee has two weeks to submit its report.
Ajaero welcomed the suspensions but said they should not replace accountability and justice. He called for the findings of the investigation to be made public and for anyone found responsible to face the law.
The NLC also urged the government to address poverty, unemployment, and the lack of decent livelihoods, which it said contribute to participation in artisanal mining and other vulnerable informal activities.
It called for stronger regulation of artisanal mining, enforcement of occupational safety standards, and an end to hazardous child labor, alongside education, skills training, social protection, and alternative livelihoods for affected families.
The official cause of the deaths has not been established. Authorities initially cited a suspected disease outbreak, while investigations, medical examinations, and autopsies are being used to determine what happened.
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