INTERIOR MINISTER LEADS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DELEGATION TO COMMISERATE WITH GOVERNMENT OF NIGER STATE

The Minister of Interior, Olabunmi Tunji-Ojo, has described the recent death of miners while in custody in Niger State as deeply regrettable and unfortunate.

The Minister made the remarks when he led a Federal Government delegation to Niger State to commiserate with the state government and people over the incident. He expressed concern over the circumstances surrounding the deaths and said the Federal Government is committed to determining what happened.

Tunji-Ojo disclosed that the Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has been suspended pending the outcome of investigations into the incident. He said the ongoing investigation is expected to establish the circumstances and possible causes of the miners’ deaths.

The Minister also commended the Niger State Government for the maturity it demonstrated in handling the situation. He assured the state that the Federal Government would take appropriate measures based on the findings of the investigation and work to prevent a similar incident from occurring again.

In his response, Niger State Governor Umar Bago thanked the Minister and the Federal Government delegation for the visit and expressed the state government’s willingness to cooperate fully with the investigation. He assured that the state would provide the necessary support to help establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The visit highlights the Federal Government’s response to the incident and its stated commitment to accountability, proper investigation and improved oversight of persons held in custody.