The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has said 24 personnel linked to the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in Niger State will remain in protective detention for two weeks pending the conclusion of the Federal Government’s investigation.

The NSCDC National Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, disclosed this in an interview with BusinessDay, saying the affected personnel would remain available to the 10-member investigative committee constituted by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

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According to Afolabi, the detention is intended to ensure that the personnel remain available to investigators and do not interfere with the ongoing investigation. He described the arrangement as “protective detention” rather than ordinary criminal detention.

“They’ll be in custody,” Afolabi said when asked whether the officers would remain detained throughout the committee’s two-week investigation. He added, “This one is quite different. It’s a presidential order. We can’t leave them. They’re under a kind of protective detention, so they cannot go anywhere.”

The development followed the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who were arrested and detained by NSCDC personnel in Niger State between September 15 and 16. The affected personnel were moved to the NSCDC national headquarters in Abuja on September 17, where they have been undergoing interrogation and administrative disciplinary proceedings.

Afolabi said three additional personnel had been identified and suspended, bringing the number of affected officers and men in protective custody to 24. The NSCDC said the administrative proceedings are being conducted alongside the independent investigation, with possible prosecution to follow depending on the findings.

The 10-member committee was given two weeks to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths and submit its report to the Ministry of Interior.