Deaths in Custody Spark Nigeria Mining Crisis

At least 37 people arrested on suspicion of illegal mining were found dead while in the custody of Nigeria’s Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in Niger state, according to officials. The detainees had been arrested on Tuesday and Wednesday during a security operation targeting suspected illegal mining activities in the north-central state. Niger State Gov. Farmer Mohammed Umaru Bago declared three days of mourning for the victims. The NSCDC said it suspected a disease outbreak may have caused the deaths, but stated that the bodies had been sent to Minna General Hospital for medical examinations to establish the actual cause. The agency did not identify the suspected disease. This explanation was challenged by Dauda Shehu, a survivor, who told The Associated Press that 65 detainees had been packed into a poorly ventilated cell. Shehu said the detainees struggled to breathe, scrambled for fresh air and banged on the cell door to attract the guards’ attention, raising the possibility that some or all of the victims suffocated. Shafatu Sulaiman, who lost two sons in the incident, appealed to the government for intervention while speaking at the hospital where the bodies were taken. Police in Niger state said they had opened an investigation and urged relatives of the victims to provide relevant information. The deaths have drawn attention to the conditions in which suspects were detained, while the precise cause remains unconfirmed pending medical findings. The incident also highlights Nigeria’s continuing struggle with illegal mining. Analysts have linked illegal mining in the country’s north-central and northwest regions to armed gangs involved in kidnappings for ransom, saying the illicit trade may provide funding for those groups.

Thirty-seven people suspected of illegal mining have died while in custody in Niger state, north-central Nigeria, prompting protests, an official investigation and calls for an independent examination of the bodies. The detainees were arrested near Borgu during a security operation targeting unauthorized mining. They were held at a detention facility operated by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), a paramilitary agency responsible for infrastructure protection and combating crimes including illegal mining. The NSCDC initially suggested that the deaths may have resulted from a diphtheria outbreak, but later said the cause had not been established and would require medical and laboratory testing. An intelligence report shared with AFP reportedly attributed the deaths to overcrowding and poor ventilation. A relative told the BBC that detainees collapsed in the heat after repeatedly requesting help, while one survivor reportedly lived because he was near a small window. The BBC said it could not independently verify the account. The deaths triggered unrest in the state capital, Minna, where miners and relatives reportedly attacked public buildings and buses with stones and sticks before police dispersed them with tear gas. Authorities imposed a 24-hour curfew. Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago described the deaths as tragic, announced three days of mourning, detained an NSCDC commander and postponed the beginning of election campaigning. More than 50 people had reportedly been arrested in the operation, although none had been charged because officials were still conducting profiling and documentation. Questions have also been raised about whether the detainees were presented before a court within the period required by Nigeria’s constitution. Their bodies were transferred to a hospital in Minna for post-mortem examinations. The deaths highlight concerns about detention conditions, due process and the wider criminal violence and gold trafficking associated with illegal mining in Niger state.

At least 37 people suspected of illegal mining died while being held by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, the capital of Niger State, according to Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago. The detainees had been arrested on Tuesday and Wednesday amid a crackdown on suspected illegal mining in the mineral-rich north-central state. Bago described the deaths as “sad” and “tragic,” announced a three-day mourning period, and postponed the start of campaigning for January elections. He also said a committee of inquiry had been established. Police in Niger State launched a separate investigation and asked victims’ relatives to provide information. NSCDC state commander Suberu Siyaka Aniviye said the agency suspected that disease may have caused the deaths, but the bodies were transferred to a local hospital for medical examination. An intelligence report cited preliminary indications that overcrowding and inadequate ventilation in the detention facility may have contributed. A video circulating online showed the bodies of dozens of young men, many apparently teenagers, while relatives attempted to identify them. A survivor, Dauda Shehu, told the Associated Press that 65 detainees had been packed into a poorly ventilated cell. He said the prisoners struggled to breathe, scrambled for fresh air, and banged on the cell door to attract guards’ attention. Niger State, which is more than twice the size of Belgium, attracts thousands of artisanal miners seeking gold and other valuable minerals. Officials and experts say illegal mining is also connected to violence by criminal gangs known as bandits, who tax miners and demand a share of extracted ore in exchange for access to mining sites.

Protests broke out in Minna, the capital of Nigeria’s Niger State, after 37 suspected illegal miners died while being held by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC). The detainees had been arrested on Tuesday and Wednesday during a crackdown on illegal mining. Demonstrators, including miners and relatives of the deceased, gathered with sticks and machetes, prompting police to use tear gas. Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago described the deaths as “sad” and “tragic.” He established a committee of inquiry, declared three days of mourning, and postponed the start of campaigning for January elections. The federal government also suspended the commandant of the state’s civil defense corps and promised a full investigation. The precise cause of death remains unconfirmed. NSCDC officials said the agency suspected disease and sent the bodies to a hospital for examination. However, an intelligence report suggested that overcrowding and inadequate ventilation in the detention facility may have caused the fatalities. A video shared online showed the bodies of dozens of young men, many of whom appeared to be teenagers, while relatives attempted to identify them. A survivor, Dauda Shehu, told the Associated Press that 65 detainees had been packed into a poorly ventilated cell. He said the prisoners struggled to breathe and banged on the cell door to attract guards’ attention. The deaths have intensified scrutiny of illegal mining in Niger State, a mineral-rich region that attracts thousands of artisanal miners seeking gold. Officials and experts say criminal gangs known as bandits exploit the mining economy by taxing miners and demanding a share of extracted ore in exchange for access to mining sites.

Nigerian authorities have launched an investigation after 37 people suspected of illegal mining died while detained at a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) facility in Minna, the capital of Niger State. The deaths were reported early on September 17, 2026, after the NSCDC detained scores of suspected illegal miners during raids on Tuesday and Wednesday. Authorities have offered conflicting explanations. The NSCDC attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, while a preliminary intelligence report indicated that overcrowding and inadequate ventilation in the detention facility may have caused or contributed to the fatalities. Police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun said the state police chief ordered an immediate investigation. Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago described the deaths as tragic, established a committee of inquiry, declared three days of mourning and postponed the start of campaigning for elections scheduled for January. The deaths reportedly sparked protests in Minna by miners and sympathisers, during which vehicles and other property were damaged. A video circulating online showed the bodies of dozens of young men, many appearing to be teenagers, lying outdoors while volunteers and relatives attempted to identify them. Niger State is rich in gold and other minerals, including tantalite, copper and lithium, and attracts thousands of artisanal miners. Illegal mining has also contributed to violence by criminal gangs known as bandits, who reportedly tax miners and demand a share of extracted ore. Much of the illegally mined gold is smuggled to the United Arab Emirates and then laundered into global supply chains in Europe, the United States, Asia and South Africa, according to a 2024 SwissAid report. The incident highlights concerns about detention conditions, illegal mining and security in one of Nigeria’s key mineral-producing regions.