The deaths of 37 suspected artisanal miners while in the custody of Nigeria’s Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State have sparked widespread outrage, with survivors raising disturbing questions about the conditions in which the detainees were held.
The victims died on September 17, 2026, days after they were arrested during operations targeting suspected illegal gold mining activities in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State.
Among those detained were teenagers, with reports indicating that some of the victims were aged between 14 and 18.
The NSCDC initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak and said the bodies had been taken to Minna General Hospital for medical examination to establish the cause of death.
However, survivors have given a different account, describing severely overcrowded and poorly ventilated cells where detainees allegedly struggled to breathe.
One survivor alleged that the situation deteriorated after officers sprayed an unidentified substance into the cell.
“They sprayed something which smelled like a perfume,” the survivor said, according to reports.
The survivor claimed that detainees began behaving erratically after the substance was sprayed, with some experiencing breathing difficulties before collapsing.
Reports indicate that 37 people ultimately died, while graphic images and videos showing the victims circulated online, prompting further public anger.
The incident has raised concerns over the treatment of detainees, youth unemployment and the risks faced by people involved in informal and illegal mining activities.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a full and transparent investigation into the deaths, saying the inquiry should establish what happened before, during and after the detainees’ deaths.
The Federal Government has also constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the arrests, detention conditions, number of people held at the facility and the cause of the deaths.
Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said the government owes the families of the deceased and Nigerians a transparent account of what happened.
“The government owes the families of the deceased and the Nigerian public a transparent account of the events leading to the incident,” Tunji-Ojo said.
The Niger State NSCDC commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, and other officers linked to the incident were suspended pending investigations. The number of NSCDC personnel detained in connection with the deaths later rose to 24 after three additional officers were arrested.
The Nigeria Police Force has also taken over the scene and commenced a forensic investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The tragedy triggered protests in Minna, with demonstrators demanding accountability over the deaths. Authorities subsequently imposed a curfew following violence during the demonstrations.
As investigations continue, the exact cause of the 37 deaths remains under examination. Authorities have yet to establish whether the deaths resulted from disease, suffocation, exposure to a substance or other factors.
The case has renewed calls for accountability and stronger safeguards for people held in state custody, particularly as investigators work to establish the circumstances surrounding one of Nigeria’s most serious recent custodial-death incidents.
How much David Munyua will pocket if he wins PDC World Darts Championship again
If you like our work, you can buy us a soda
Buy us a soda 🥤
