Thirty-seven suspected illegal miners have died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, prompting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, disclosed the deaths on Thursday at a press conference in Minna, describing the incident as tragic.
“This morning we woke up to the news that about 37 persons died in the custody of the civil defence here in Minna,” Bago said.
“It’s so sad, it’s so tragic,” the governor added, announcing the constitution of a committee of inquiry to investigate the incident.
Bago also declared three days of mourning in the state and postponed the commencement of election campaign activities scheduled to begin ahead of the January elections.
The deaths reportedly triggered protests in Minna, with groups of miners and sympathisers said to have damaged cars and other property following the incident.
The deceased were among suspected illegal miners detained by the NSCDC, which works alongside other security agencies to protect lives, critical national assets and infrastructure.
The Niger State Police Command has also commenced an investigation into the deaths.
The state police spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun, said the Commissioner of Police had ordered the immediate investigation into what he described as the “unfortunate death of suspected illegal miners” while in NSCDC custody.
The NSCDC said it had arrested scores of suspected illegal miners on Tuesday and Wednesday.
According to the corps, scores of the detained suspects were found dead in the early hours of September 17, 2026, following what it described as a suspected outbreak of disease.
However, a preliminary intelligence report cited in connection with the incident suggested that overcrowding and inadequate ventilation at the detention facility may have contributed to the fatalities.
The conflicting accounts have heightened calls for a thorough investigation to establish the immediate and underlying causes of the deaths.
Niger State, one of Nigeria’s largest states by landmass, has significant deposits of solid minerals and attracts thousands of artisanal miners, many of whom are drawn to the state by gold deposits.
Illegal mining has also become intertwined with insecurity in parts of the state, with criminal groups reportedly imposing levies on miners and demanding a share of extracted minerals in exchange for access to mining sites.
Apart from gold, the state has deposits of minerals including tantalite, copper and lithium, which are used in various industrial applications and clean-energy technologies.
The incident has renewed concerns over the treatment and conditions of people held in security custody, particularly amid questions over detention capacity, access to medical care and the responsibility of authorities for the welfare of detainees.
The committee of inquiry and police investigation are expected to establish what caused the deaths, the conditions under which the suspects were detained and whether any failures contributed to the tragedy.
