Niger Tragedy: Bago Says NSCDC, Police, Ministries Don’t Report To Him

Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, has explained the extent of the state government’s control over federal security agencies following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna.

Bago made the clarification during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics while responding to questions about whether the Niger State Government shared responsibility for the deaths and whether the incident could have been prevented.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the governor said agencies including the NSCDC, the Nigeria Police Force and relevant federal ministries do not report directly to the state government, limiting its authority over federal facilities such as detention centres and police stations.

Bago described himself as the state’s chief security officer in a limited sense, stressing that the security agencies report to the federal government rather than directly to him.

He explained that the state government usually becomes involved when complaints are formally brought by members of the public, civil society organisations or through relevant state institutions such as the Ministry of Justice.

The governor said the situation made it difficult for the state government to know about every arrest or detention carried out by federal security agencies within Niger State, particularly when no complaint had been lodged.

His comments came amid growing scrutiny over the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who were detained by the NSCDC following operations against illegal mining in parts of Niger State. The state government had earlier confirmed the deaths and announced measures to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Bago also previously disclosed that the state government was not informed about the arrest and detention of the suspected miners before news of their deaths emerged. According to reports, 67 artisanal and suspected illegal miners were taken into custody, with 37 subsequently dying while detained.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain under investigation. The federal government has constituted an independent committee to investigate the incident, while several NSCDC officers, including the Niger State Commandant, have been suspended pending the outcome of the probe.

The Nigeria Police Force has also commenced an investigation into the deaths, with Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu assuring the Niger State Government that the circumstances surrounding the incident would be thoroughly examined.

Bago said the state government would continue to intervene whenever complaints involving unlawful detention or other concerns were brought to its attention, but maintained that its authority over federal security institutions and detention facilities remained limited.