Niger miners deaths: Adeyanju accepts probe membership, warns against interference, rejects payment

Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju has accepted an invitation to serve on the independent committee set up by the government to investigate the deaths of suspected miners in Minna, Niger State.

He pledged to ensure that the victims’ interests are protected.
Adeyanju disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, saying he accepted the appointment solely to help establish the truth and secure justice for those who died in the incident.
He also rejected any stipend, honorarium or other financial provision for members of the committee, saying the investigation should be treated as a national duty rather than an avenue for personal gain.
“I urge the Government not to make any monetary provision, stipend or honorarium for members of the committee, as this is a national duty for which we should be prepared to sacrifice,” Adeyanju said.
He added that he would personally bear his hotel, transportation and other expenses arising from his participation in the investigation.
Adeyanju warned that he would not tolerate any attempt to interfere with the committee’s work or shield anyone found responsible for the deaths.
“I will not accept any such payment, and I will not participate in or tolerate any attempt to compromise the investigation or cover up wrongdoing,” he said.
He further pledged to make public any attempt to suppress evidence or protect those responsible.
“If there is any attempt to shield those responsible or suppress the truth, I will expose it. The victims deserve justice, and the Nigerian factor as we know it must not be allowed to prevail,” he said.

Adeyanju said his participation on the committee would be focused on representing the interests of the victims and ensuring that the circumstances surrounding their deaths were fully established.
The government’s decision to constitute the committee followed the deaths of suspected illegal miners who were reportedly arrested in Niger State, with the circumstances surrounding the incident prompting demands for an independent investigation and accountability.