Ambassador Hussaini Coomassie has urged the Federal Government to make public the findings of investigations into the deaths of 37 artisanal miners in Niger State and ensure that appropriate action is taken where wrongdoing is established.

Coomassie’s call follows separate investigations initiated by the Federal Government, the Niger State Government and the Nigeria Police Force into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The 37 artisanal miners reportedly died on September 17 after they were arrested during an operation targeting suspected illegal mining activities in the state and subsequently detained by personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Following the incident, the Federal Government suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant and other personnel linked to the matter, while the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, constituted a 10-member committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Coomassie said the findings of the various investigative panels should be preserved, made accessible to the public and followed by appropriate action.

“The outcome of the investigation of the 37 artisanal miners by any committee, be it that of the Minister of Interior, Governor Umaru Bago’s committee or the IGP committee, should not be allowed to be swept under the carpet,” he said.

He called for a broader, multidisciplinary investigation involving relevant security agencies, government institutions, community representatives and other stakeholders.

According to him, such a panel should include representatives of the Directorate of Military Intelligence, the Force Criminal Investigation Department, the Department of State Services, the Ministry of Interior, the Niger State Government, the Minna Emirate Council and miners’ associations.

He also proposed the inclusion of independent investigative journalists, criminal lawyers and human-rights advocates, citing activist Deji Adeyanju as an example.

Coomassie also questioned whether the two-week timeframe reportedly given to the Federal Government’s committee would be sufficient to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the deaths.

He argued that investigators should be given adequate time and unrestricted access to relevant evidence, locations, documents and witnesses.

“The committee of Tunji-Ojo is a kangaroo one, and the timeframe is very limited to bring out authentic results,” he said.

The Federal Government’s committee is chaired by retired DSS Deputy Director-General Jonathan Kure and includes representatives of the Minna Emirate Council, Niger State Government and the Miners Association, as well as lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju and journalist Zainab Suleiman Okino.

The committee’s terms of reference empower it to co-opt additional experts, visit relevant locations, access documents and facilities, and receive memoranda from members of the public.

Separately, the Niger State Government has inaugurated a 20-member committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Yakubu Garba. The committee includes representatives of the police, DSS, Nigerian Army, state Ministry of Health, Minna Emirate Council, Nigerian Bar Association, Nigerian Union of Journalists and civil society organisations.

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has also said the police would investigate the deaths and collaborate with the NSCDC and the Niger State Government’s committee of inquiry.

Coomassie said the various investigations should establish a clear and credible account of what happened to the 37 miners, including the circumstances surrounding their deaths and responsibility for any wrongdoing established by the evidence.

He stressed the need for transparency and accountability, urging the authorities to ensure that the outcome of the investigations is made public and that any necessary follow-up action is taken.