Arise News anchor Rufai Oseni says a government investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected miners in Niger State will not produce meaningful results. He made the comments on Arise Television’s “Morning Show” on Monday, arguing that investigations conducted by government agencies will be ineffective.

The deaths occurred while the suspects were in custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State. The NSCDC says the detainees died after a suspected outbreak of disease and that their bodies were taken to the General Hospital in Minna for medical examination to determine the cause of death.

Oseni acknowledges the need for investigations but questions how credible they can be if carried out by government bodies. He also raises concerns about the individuals involved in the mining, suggesting that mining requires significant financial resources and asking who owns the mining site. Other voices have called for an independent and transparent probe.