Thirty-seven suspected illegal miners have died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State, prompting separate investigations by the police and the civil defence authorities.
The victims were among young men arrested during enforcement operations against illegal mining around the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of the state on September 15 and 16. Their deaths were discovered in the early hours of Wednesday, September 17, while they were being detained at an NSCDC facility.
Briefing the public on the incident, Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, described the deaths as “sad and tragic” and expressed concern over the loss of lives in custody.
The governor also disclosed that an NSCDC commander had been detained in connection with the incident, while announcing three days of mourning in the state. He further postponed the commencement of political campaign activities scheduled to begin in the state.
The Niger State NSCDC Command initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, with diphtheria mentioned as a possible cause. However, the NSCDC national headquarters subsequently clarified that the actual cause of death had not been established and that any claim linking the deaths to a specific disease remained subject to medical and laboratory confirmation.
The bodies of the deceased have since been deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination, including post-mortem procedures expected to help determine the cause of death.
NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has ordered a high-powered investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. The probe is expected to examine the condition of the suspects when they were arrested, their period in custody, the conditions of the detention facility and the medical attention provided to them.
The Niger State Police Command has also commenced a separate investigation into what it described as the “unfortunate death of suspected illegal miners while in the detention facility of the NSCDC.”
Questions have also been raised about the conditions under which the suspects were detained. A survivor who spoke to the Associated Press reportedly said about 65 people were held in an overcrowded and poorly ventilated cell, raising the possibility that overcrowding and inadequate ventilation may have contributed to the deaths.
An intelligence report cited by AFP similarly suggested that overcrowding and poor ventilation could have played a role. However, these accounts have not been independently confirmed.
Some relatives of the deceased have also challenged the official explanation, alleging that the victims were deliberately killed. The allegation remains unsubstantiated, while authorities await the outcome of medical examinations and ongoing investigations.
The incident has renewed attention on illegal mining in Niger State, particularly the activities surrounding gold deposits in the mineral-rich region. Officials and experts have linked illegal mining and the trafficking of gold to criminal activity and insecurity in parts of the state.
A 2024 report by SwissAid also found that significant quantities of gold extracted from the region enter global supply chains through informal and illicit channels.
Authorities are expected to release further findings as the police, NSCDC and medical teams continue their investigations into the deaths.
