37 Miners Die In NSCDC Custody As Mining Communities Demand Independent Probe
A tragedy involving 37 suspected illegal miners who died in NSCDC custody in Minna, Niger State, has triggered calls for an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
37 Miners Die in NSCDC Custody as Mining Communities Demand Independent Prob
The Federation of Nigerian Mining Host Communities in Nigeria (FNMHC) has demanded a full forensic investigation into the deaths of 37 persons detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.
According to the federation, the victims were arrested on 15 and 16 September 2026 around the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis during enforcement operations against suspected illegal miners and were detained at an NSCDC facility.
Their deaths were discovered in the early hours of 17 September.
The group said it was concerned by an initial attribution of the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, noting that the NSCDC headquarters later acknowledged that the cause of death had not been established and constituted an investigative team.
The federation also welcomed the suspension of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, pending the outcome of the investigation, but said the scale of the deaths required an inquiry capable of determining both individual and institutional responsibility.
It called for investigations into allegations that relatives were prevented from supplying food to detainees and that N100,000 was allegedly demanded for the release of each detainee.
The federation said reports that some of the deceased were minors should also form part of the investigation.
The group further demanded an independent inquiry into the security response to protests that followed the deaths, including reports of the use of live ammunition against protesters.
It urged authorities to preserve evidence, protect witnesses and ensure that families receive clear information about what happened to their relatives.
The federation said the three-day mourning period declared by the Niger State Government could not replace accountability, insisting that the investigation must establish how 37 people came to die in state custody and who should be held responsible where wrongdoing is established.
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