President Bola Tinubu has ordered a full and transparent investigation into the deaths of suspected illegal miners detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) following enforcement operations around Lt. Gen. Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna, Niger State.

The President, in a statement on Friday, said that the government would not tolerate mass deaths arising from official negligence, dereliction of duty, or failure by public officials to protect the lives placed under their care.

President Tinubu said the life of every Nigerian matters and that no citizen should lose his life while in government custody as a result of negligence, abuse, inhumane treatment, or dereliction of duty, describing the development as a grave matter that requires urgent investigation and accountability.

“While the Federal Government would continue to combat illegal mining and other criminal activities across the country, enforcement operations must be conducted strictly within the law and with full respect for the dignity and fundamental rights of every person in custody,” he was quoted as saying in the statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

“The fact that these individuals were suspected of illegal mining does not in any way remove their right to life, dignity and humane treatment while in government custody. Government will not tolerate mass deaths arising from official negligence, dereliction of duty or failure by public officials to protect the lives placed under their care.”

“Where the investigation establishes that any official, through action, abuse or negligence, contributed to these deaths, such an officer must be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law. There must be accountability,” the President added.

He directed the relevant authorities to ensure that the investigation is comprehensive, transparent and unhindered, covering the circumstances of the arrests, the condition of the detainees when they were taken into custody, the conditions under which they were detained, the number of people held in the facility, the medical attention provided and the events leading to their deaths.

“The suspension of officers is only an administrative step and must not substitute for a proper determination of criminal responsibility where the evidence warrants prosecution,” the President said.

He directed the Ministry of Interior and the NSCDC leadership to cooperate fully with all relevant investigative authorities and ensure that no officer interferes with the process or attempts to frustrate the establishment of the truth.

President Tinubu extended his condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed for the repose of their souls.

He also appealed for calm among the families and communities affected by the tragedy, assuring them that the Federal Government would pursue the truth and take appropriate action based on credible evidence.

“We must never allow the pursuit of one form of illegality to create another. The government must enforce the law firmly, but it must also obey the law. The sanctity of human life is non-negotiable,” Tinubu added.

The President’s order came after Thursday’s protest linked to the reported deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners while in the custody of the NSCDC, in Minna.

One of the survivors alleged that the suspects were kept in a small room, adding that an unpleasant substance was sprayed before the cell was locked.

Following the unrest, Governor Umaru Bago declared a 24-hour curfew in Minna, the State capital, saying that the curfew takes effect immediately after the Friday Jumu’ah prayers and would remain in force until further notice.

Bago said the government has constituted a committee of inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The governor also announced the suspension of all mining activities across Niger State pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigations.

Similarly, the Ministry of Interior said it had suspended the state commander of the NSCDC.

Following the opening of applications from eligible candidates living with disabilities, for scholarships to pursue legal qualifications, the Opeoluwa Sotonwa Foundation (OSF), a not-for-profit organisation, founded by US-based philanthropist, Mr. Opeoluwa Sotonwa, and dedicated to expanding educational opportunity, leadership and inclusion, has announced the recipients of its 2026 scholarships, fellowships and academic awards.

Now in its fourth year, OSF has continued to deepen its investment in Nigeria’s deaf and hard-of-hearing community while expanding pathways for students with disabilities in the legal profession.

The 2026 awards also mark a new milestone with the introduction of the Prof. Konyinsola Ajayi, SAN Scholar-Practitioner Award, supporting a legal practitioner pursuing doctoral studies in Law.

Founded in 2022, OSF is grounded in a simple but enduring conviction: talent is universal, but opportunity is not. The Foundation seeks to close that gap by investing not merely in education, but in people whose knowledge, leadership and service can create opportunities for others.

PROF. KONYINSOLA AJAYI, SAN SCHOLAR-PRACTITIONER AWARD 

For the first time, OSF is extending its investment in legal education beyond the undergraduate level through the Prof. Konyinsola Ajayi, SAN Scholar-Practitioner Award.

The new award recognizes a legal practitioner pursuing a Ph.D. in Law, bridging two worlds essential to the future of justice: the practical experience of the legal profession and the rigorous inquiry of advanced legal scholarship.

• Isioma Osakuni — Ph.D. in Law, University of Ibadan — Inaugural Recipient

The establishment of the Scholar-Practitioner Award represents a natural evolution of the Prof. Konyinsola Ajayi, SAN Fellowship. It broadens OSF’s vision from helping students enter the legal profession to supporting practitioners seeking to contribute to its intellectual development through advanced research and scholarship.

PROF. KONYINSOLA AJAYI, SAN FELLOWSHIP 

The Prof. Konyinsola Ajayi, SAN Fellowship is OSF’s flagship investment in developing a more inclusive legal profession. Expanded in 2025 to include law students with disabilities beyond the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community, the fellowship recognizes that the pursuit of justice is strengthened when the legal profession reflects the breadth of the society it serves. The recipients are:

• Abubakar Nura — Law, Bayero University Kano
• Amala Njelita — Law, University of Calabar

OPEOLUWA SOTONWA FOUNDATION GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP 

The Foundation’s core scholarship program continues OSF’s foundational commitment to Deaf and hard-of-hearing students pursuing higher education across Nigeria. The 2026 scholars represent a broad range of disciplines, from education and computer science to political science, entrepreneurship and the arts. The recipients are:

• Auwalu Mohammed — English Education, Gombe State University
• Wende Terungwa — Special Education/PHE, Federal University of Education Pankshin
• Farida Dalhatu — Political Science, Umar Musa Yar’dua University, Katsina
• Fuhad Abdulrasaq — History and International Studies, University of Ilorin
• Irimiya Samaila — Special Education, University of Calabar
• Amina Nasiru — Entrepreneurship, Kaduna State University
• Abosede Josephine Akilo — Special Education, Federal College of Education in affiliation with University of Ibadan
• Toheeb Olajuwon Balogun — Political Science, Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo
• Mujahid Adamu — Education-English, Sule Lamido University Kafin Hausa
• Inerepamo Maxwell Pounana — Special Education, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education
• Precious Onyinyechi Okonkwo — Special Education, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education
• Nneoma Happiness Agbo — Economic Education, Peaceland College of Education Enugu
• Yusuf Anas — Educational Management, Abdulkadir Kure University, Minna
• Omopariola Opeyemi — Educational Management, Kwara State University
• Akinkunmi Sheriff Akinboade — Fine and Applied Arts, Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo
• Royal Adeh Obi — Special Education/Tourism, University of Calabar
• Oladipupo Emmanuel Adeyeri — Computer Science, Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo
• Bello Abubakar — Islamic Studies, Aminu Salah College of Education

MOST OUTSTANDING SCHOLARS 2026

Introduced in 2025, the Most Outstanding Scholar distinction recognizes one female and one male scholar whose academic achievement, leadership and perseverance distinguish them within the OSF community.

• Mutiyat Oreoluwa Raheem — Microbiology, University of Ilorin — Female Most Outstanding Scholar
• John Nworie Nte — Medicine and Surgery, University of Calabar — Male Most Outstanding Scholar

GRADUATE SCHOLARS 

OSF’s commitment does not end with undergraduate education. The Graduate Scholars program supports Deaf and hard-of-hearing scholars advancing into postgraduate study and developing expertise capable of influencing their professions, institutions and communities.

• Godwin Agianpuye — PGD/M.Sc., Computer Science, Wesley University, Ondo
• Auwalu Salisu Ismaila — M.Ed., Special Education, Bayero University, Kano
• Caroline Nwugo Onu — Ph.D., Christian Leadership, The Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary

VOICES BEYOND SOUND – SOCIAL AND BUSINESS SCHOLARSHIP 

Established in partnership with Greg and Annette Hudson, Voices Beyond Sound recognizes Deaf and hard-of-hearing students pursuing studies connected to social and business leadership. First featured in the 2025 awards, the initiative reflects a shared belief that leadership is not defined by how a person communicates, but by the ideas, resilience and impact they bring to society.

• Zulaihatu Sani — Business Administration, Gombe State University
• Qudus Ajiboye — Economics, National Open University of Nigeria
• Taiwo Eneyamire Abdul — Economics, Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo
• Taiwo Hassan Alatilehin — Business Education, University of Ilorin

“Four years into this journey, we are seeing what becomes possible when opportunity meets determination,” said Dr. Opeoluwa Sotonwa, Founder of OSF. “Our scholars are studying medicine, law, education, science, technology, business, the arts and other disciplines. Some are beginning their higher-education journeys; others are advancing into master’s and doctoral study. What connects them is not disability, but possibility. Our responsibility as a Foundation is to ensure that talent is given room to become impact.”

“The introduction of the Prof. Konyinsola Ajayi, SAN Scholar-Practitioner Award is especially meaningful. Justice requires not only lawyers who practice the law, but scholars who interrogate it, strengthen it and help imagine what it can become. By investing across that continuum—from the undergraduate law student to the doctoral scholar-practitioner—we are investing in the future of the profession itself.”

For more information about the Opeoluwa Sotonwa Foundation and its programs, visit www.opeoluwasotonwafoundation.org.

About the Opeoluwa Sotonwa Foundation

Established in 2022, the Opeoluwa Sotonwa Foundation (OSF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to unlocking educational and leadership opportunities for Nigeria’s Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities while advancing targeted opportunities for students with disabilities. Through scholarships, fellowships, mentorship and advocacy, OSF invests in students and emerging leaders with the potential to transform their professions, communities and society.

The Foundation can be reached via:

Cassandra Sotonwa
Chief Operating Officer
Opeoluwa Sotonwa Foundation
opeoluwasotonwafoundation@gmail.com

The Foundation wishes all recipients a fruitful academic period.