The Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, and members of his team have been suspended following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in custody.

Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago disclosed this on Thursday night, saying the suspension by the NSCDC Commandant-General was to allow for a proper investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Bago also announced the setting up of a state investigative committee to determine the cause of the deaths.

The committee, according to the governor, will be chaired by the Deputy Governor, Comrade Yakubu Garba, while the Commissioner for Homeland Security, Maurice Magaji, will serve as secretary.

He said the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police Force and the NSCDC had also constituted separate committees to investigate the incident.

Bago added that forensic examinations and autopsies would be conducted on the bodies to establish the exact cause of death and guide further action.

Describing the incident as unfortunate and tragic, the governor condoled with the families of the deceased and assured them that his administration would get to the root of the matter.

He said the state government valued the lives of its citizens and would not tolerate injustice, promising that the investigation would be pursued to its logical conclusion.

Bago said the government was compiling a register of the families of those who died and would commiserate with them, urging the affected families to remain patient while investigations were ongoing.

The governor also ordered the closure of all illegal mining activities around the M.I. Wushishi mining site, warning that anyone found violating the directive would be prosecuted.

He appealed to youths and residents of the state to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their hands, urging them to allow the relevant authorities to conduct the investigations.