At least 37 artisanal miners, including teenagers, don die inside custody of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for Minna, Niger State.
Daily Trust gather say dem arrest di miners on September 15 and 16 by NSCDC operatives over allegations of illegal mining.
Some of di victims na internally displaced persons (IDPs) from communities for Shiroro Local Government Area of di state.
Niger State Governor Umaru Bago confirm say 37 persons die for di incident, and he talk last night say dem place di state commandant of NSCDC, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, on suspension.
Earlier, di state Commandant talk say di suspects die in detention following suspected outbreak of disease for early hours of Thursday. He talk say di victims dey among illegal miners wey dem arrest at Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Housing Estate and Lukoto village. But Aniviye no disclose di number of deaths or di disease dem suspect cause am.
Relatives of di deceased and residents however put di death toll at 37.
For statement, Aniviye talk say NSCDC Niger State Command, in renewed efforts to rid di state of illegal mining activities, conduct ‘burst operation’ on 15th and 16th September 2026, wey lead to arrest of suspected illegal miners and recovery of exhibits. He talk di operation yield significant results, with scores of suspected illegal miners arrested and various exhibits recovered. But for early hours of 17th September 2026, scores of di detained suspects found dead, following suspected outbreak of disease.
He talk say dem deposit di corpses of di deceased suspects at General Hospital, Minna, for further medical examination to establish di actual cause of death. He appeal to general public and families of di deceased to remain calm and desist from any actions wey fit lead to breakdown of law and order.
It was gathered say management of Minna General Hospital no allow di bodies to be deposited at di hospital mortuary. A staff member of di hospital tell our correspondent say management no dey officially informed before dem bring di bodies from Minna Command headquarters of NSCDC in two ambulances. He talk say seven other victims dey admitted to hospital emergency unit because of severity of their condition.
Parents and relatives of di deceased, wey gather at di mortuary to collect bodies of their loved ones, no fit hold back their tears. Dem reportedly lay di bodies on floor of di mortuary.
Di incident trigger protest by residents of Maitumbi, Tudun Natsira, Berger and parts of Tunga in Minna. Di protesters block road at Flamingo Junction, Maitumbi, disrupting traffic for di area. Some protesters allege say personnel of NSCDC patrol team arrest several miners about two days ago and take them into custody. Dem talk say later dem inform them say some of those arrested don die while in detention.
One suspect wey speak from hospital bed, Dauda Shehu, allege say di victims die due to excessive heat and overcrowding. He talk, ‘Sixty-six of us were put in one cell. Six people are currently on admission. They did not torture us, but there was excessive heat. We complained that the cell was too small to accommodate all of us, but they did not listen to us. We watched our colleagues die, and even when we raised the alarm, they thought we were lying. We drank urine because we couldn’t access water due to heat. Some people died in the night while others died in the morning on Thursday.’
Meanwhile, some of di bodies don release to families of di deceased, wey throng Minna General Hospital in search of their loved ones. It was gathered say NSCDC operatives wey carry di bodies go hospital mortuary initially refuse to release them to di families. However, dem later hand over di bodies to di families after hospital management decline to accept them.
A bereaved father, Mallam Abdullahi, talk say he go Civil Defence headquarters in Minna to plead for release of him son but dem ask am to pay N500,000 for bail. He talk, ‘My son is not a criminal. He is into mining because there is no work to do. He supports the family with the mining. We took food to him last night. We went this morning to give him breakfast and found him dead. I saw his dead body.’
Another resident, Babawo Tudun-Natsira, talk say him 17-year-old younger brother, Salim, dey among those wey die.
Police and NSCDC don launch investigation into death of di miners. Babawale Afolabi, NSCDC National Public Relations Officer, for statement talk say Commandant General, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, direct constitution of high-powered investigative team, led by Deputy Commandant General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation, to immediately look into circumstances surrounding di incident.
He talk say dem mandate di team to undertake comprehensive investigation into circumstances leading to di deaths, including condition of di suspects upon arrest, their period in custody, conditions of detention, medical attention provided, and other relevant circumstances surrounding di incident. He talk say remains of di deceased don deposit at General Hospital Minna for medical examination and determination of di actual cause of death. Di Corps also dey work with relevant health authorities and sister security agencies to ensure appropriate medical and public-health measures.
NSCDC wish to clarify say reports wey attribute di deaths to any specific disease remain subject to medical and laboratory confirmation. Di Corps go refrain from speculation until outcome of medical examination establish. Di Commandant General also direct say health and welfare of all persons currently in custody be given utmost priority, while necessary measures be taken to protect personnel wey fit don have contact with affected persons. He assure say circumstances surrounding di incident go dey thoroughly investigated and appropriately addressed based on facts. NSCDC talk say e remain resolute in mandate to combat illegal mining and protect Nigeria critical national assets, and e also remain committed to upholding dignity, safety and fundamental rights of every person in its custody.
Also, Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, don order immediate commencement of investigation into di unfortunate deaths. Wasiu Abiodun, police spokesman, for statement talk say Commissioner of Police direct Deputy Commissioner of Police, SCID Minna, to take charge of investigation to unravel circumstances surrounding di unfortunate deaths of these suspects. Di police commissioner call on family members, relatives, and members of public wey fit get credible information and other details to help investigation to come forward to SCID Minna and render such necessary information. He also urge members of public, residents, family members and acquaintances of victims to remain calm, law abiding, cooperate and support investigative efforts, while assuring say no stone go remain unturned towards unravelling cause of di incident.
