37 Suspected Illegal Miners Die In NSCDC Custody

The deceased were among dozens of people arrested during NSCDC operations against suspected illegal mining activities around the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas on September 15 and 16, 2026.

They were later detained at an NSCDC facility in Minna, where 37 detainees were found dead in the early hours of September 17.

The exact cause of the deaths has not yet been officially established. The NSCDC initially referred to a suspected disease outbreak, while survivors have given accounts of severe overcrowding, extreme heat and poor ventilation inside the detention facility.

One survivor said detainees struggled to breathe as more people were brought into the cell.

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Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago said 67 miners had been detained in the facility before 37 died.

Authorities have said investigations will examine several possible factors surrounding the incident, while the state government has established a committee to determine what happened.

The incident has also attracted the attention of the Federal Government.

President Bola Tinubu ordered a comprehensive and transparent investigation into the deaths, while the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, suspended the Niger State NSCDC commandant and other officers connected with the incident pending the outcome of the investigation.

By September 19, the government said 20 NSCDC officers had been suspended and a 10-member independent investigative committee constituted.

The deaths have sparked protests in Minna and intensified calls for accountability over the treatment of people in security-agency custody.

Authorities have urged the public to allow investigations to establish the facts surrounding the incident.

Beyond the immediate tragedy, the incident has again drawn attention to Nigeria’s battle against illegal mining.

While the government continues efforts to regulate the sector and tackle unauthorised mining operations, the Minna deaths have raised equally serious questions about detention conditions, enforcement procedures and the responsibility of security agencies to protect people in their custody.

For the families of the deceased, the central question remains unanswered: what exactly caused 37 people taken into government custody alive to lose their lives?

The findings of the ongoing investigations will be crucial in determining responsibility and establishing whether negligence or misconduct played a role.