At least 37 artisanal miners, including teenagers, have reportedly died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.
The victims were among suspected illegal miners arrested during operations conducted by NSCDC personnel on September 15 and 16, 2026, at the Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Housing Estate and Lukoto village.
Some of those arrested were reportedly internally displaced persons (IDPs) from communities in Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.
Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, confirmed the death of 37 persons and announced that the state Commandant of the NSCDC, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, had been suspended.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths remained unclear as of the time of filing this report.
Earlier, Aniviye had said that some of the suspects died in the early hours of Thursday, September 17, following a suspected outbreak of disease.
According to him, the NSCDC had carried out a “burst operation” as part of efforts to tackle illegal mining activities in the state, resulting in the arrest of scores of suspected illegal miners and the recovery of exhibits.
He said the deceased were among those detained after the operation.
However, the commandant did not initially disclose the exact number of people who died or the suspected disease responsible.
The NSCDC later said the cause of death had not been established and warned against attributing the deaths to any particular disease before medical and laboratory examinations were completed.
The Corps said the remains had been taken for medical examination to determine the actual cause of death.
Meanwhile, a staff member of Minna General Hospital said the hospital management was not officially informed before two ambulances reportedly brought the bodies from the NSCDC command headquarters.
According to the staff member, seven other victims were admitted to the hospital’s emergency unit due to the severity of their conditions.
Relatives of the deceased reportedly gathered at the hospital in search of their loved ones, with some breaking down in tears.
The incident also sparked protests in parts of Minna, including Maitumbi, Tudun-Natsira, Berger and Tunga.
The protesters reportedly blocked the road at Flamingo Junction, Maitumbi, causing traffic disruption.
Survivor alleges overcrowding and excessive heat
One of the surviving suspects, Dauda Shehu, who spoke from his hospital bed, alleged that overcrowding and excessive heat contributed to the deaths.
Shehu claimed that 66 detainees were kept in one cell and that the occupants repeatedly complained about the conditions.
He alleged that access to water was inadequate and that some detainees became severely dehydrated.
The survivor further claimed that detainees watched some of their colleagues die during the night and early hours of Thursday.
The allegations have not been independently established, while authorities have commenced investigations to determine what happened.
Families demand answers
Relatives of the deceased have continued to seek explanations over the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
A bereaved father, Mallam Abdullahi, alleged that he went to the NSCDC headquarters to plead for the release of his son but was asked to pay N500,000 for bail.
He said his son was involved in artisanal mining to support the family and insisted that he was not a criminal.
Another resident of Tudun-Natsira, Babawo, said his 17-year-old younger brother, Salim, was among those who died.
Some of the bodies were subsequently released to their families after the hospital management reportedly declined to accept them into its mortuary.
NSCDC, Police begin investigations
The NSCDC Commandant General, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has ordered a high-powered investigation into the incident.
The Corps' National Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, said the investigative team would examine the condition of the suspects at the time of arrest, their period in custody, detention conditions, medical attention provided and other circumstances surrounding the deaths.
He said the Corps was working with relevant health authorities and other security agencies to ensure that appropriate medical and public-health measures were taken.
Afolabi stressed that reports linking the deaths to a particular disease remained subject to medical and laboratory confirmation.
He also said the Commandant General had directed that the health and welfare of all persons still in custody be given priority.
Similarly, the Niger State Commissioner of Police, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, ordered an investigation into the deaths.
The police spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun, said the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Minna, had been directed to lead the investigation.
The police urged relatives and members of the public with credible information about the incident to approach the SCID in Minna and assist investigators.
Authorities have appealed for calm as investigations continue to establish the circumstances and actual cause of the deaths.
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