Amnesty International Questions 'Illegal Miners' Label After Deaths

Amnesty International has raised concerns regarding the classification of 37 miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State as 'illegal miners.' Isa Sanusi, the Country Director of Amnesty International, stated that it is prejudicial to label the deceased as such, especially since they cannot defend themselves. The miners were described as suspected illegal gold miners and died while detained.

Survivors reported overcrowded conditions, with one survivor alleging that 17 individuals were initially confined in a small room designed for only 10 people. The situation worsened as more detainees were added, leading to a total of 67 individuals in the facility during extremely hot weather from September 15 to September 16.

Sanusi emphasized the serious human rights issues arising from this overcrowding and the conditions in which the detainees were held.