37 Suspected Illegal Miners Die in NSCDC Custody as Nigeria Orders Probe, Commandant Suspended

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At least 37 suspected illegal miners have died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, triggering government investigations, the suspension of the state commandant and calls for an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The victims were among suspects arrested during NSCDC operations against illegal mining in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Minna on September 15 and 16, 2026. The deaths were discovered in the early hours of Thursday, September 17.

Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago confirmed that 37 detainees had died and described the incident as “sad” and “tragic”. He declared three days of mourning and ordered a state committee of inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The state also ordered forensic examinations and autopsies of the bodies.

The NSCDC initially said the deaths followed a suspected disease outbreak. However, the Corps’ national headquarters later stressed that the actual cause had not been established and that claims linking the deaths to any specific disease remained subject to medical and laboratory confirmation. The bodies were taken to General Hospital, Minna, for examination.

The circumstances have since become the subject of competing accounts. The Associated Press reported that survivor Dauda Shehu said about 65 detainees had been held in an overcrowded, poorly ventilated cell and described conditions in which detainees struggled to breathe. An AFP report also cited an intelligence report that pointed to overcrowding and inadequate ventilation as possible factors. Those accounts have not been established as the official cause of death.

The difference between the official death toll and some early reports has also drawn attention. While Governor Bago confirmed 37 deaths, Reuters reported that its journalists filmed 33 bodies at Minna General Hospital, underscoring why the final number and medical findings remain important to the ongoing investigations.

The Federal Government has responded by suspending Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, the NSCDC commandant in Niger State, pending a full investigation. Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said the government would investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths and urged the public to remain calm while the process continues.

The NSCDC Commandant-General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has also constituted a high-powered investigative team led by the Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation. The team has been directed to examine the suspects’ condition when they were arrested, their period in custody, detention conditions and the medical attention they received.

The Niger State Police Command has separately commenced an investigation following an order from Commissioner of Police Adamu Elleman.

The deaths have also prompted public protests in Minna, with relatives and residents demanding answers and justice. Reuters reported that protests broke out on Thursday evening and that a heavier security presence was deployed in the city on Friday.

Amnesty International has called for an independent, impartial and transparent investigation, noting reports that some of those who died were minors. The rights organisation said the investigation should examine both the circumstances of the arrests and the conditions in which the suspects were detained.

Governor Bago has also cancelled an All Progressives Congress rally that had been scheduled for Saturday in Minna and postponed the start of campaigning for elections scheduled for January. The state government said it was working to identify the victims and compile a register of their families.

For now, the confirmed facts are that dozens of people arrested over suspected illegal mining died after being held in NSCDC custody in Minna, the governor has put the death toll at 37, and multiple investigations and medical examinations are underway.

The cause of death has not yet been conclusively established. Until autopsy and laboratory findings are released, claims that the deaths were caused by a particular disease, suffocation or detention conditions remain matters under investigation rather than established findings.