By Stella Odueme
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has expressed condolences to the government and people of Niger State over the deaths of detained persons in Minna.
Alake, in a statement issued at the weekend, described the incident as a tragic loss of lives and said his thoughts and prayers were with the bereaved families and communities affected by the incident.
He commended the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, for declaring a period of mourning and establishing an investigative framework to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The minister stressed the need for a thorough, transparent and independent investigation to establish accountability and prevent a recurrence of similar incidents in detention and correctional facilities.
Alake said his ministry was particularly concerned because the deceased persons were reportedly arrested on suspicion of engaging in illegal mining activities.
He disclosed that he had deployed a high-powered team of officials from the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to Niger State to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and establish the facts.
According to him, the ministerial team will work with other investigators and relevant authorities to conduct a comprehensive inquiry and provide a report on its findings.
“Given the allegation that the detained persons were arrested on suspicion of carrying out illegal mining, I have deployed a high-powered team of officials to Niger State to investigate the circumstances and ascertain the facts of the matter,” he said.
He added that the team would collaborate with other investigators to provide a comprehensive report on the incident.
Alake prayed for comfort for the families of the deceased and eternal rest for the departed souls.
