NSCDC Custody Tragedy: 37 Miners Found Dead in Niger

In Niger State, 37 illegal miners died within 24 hours while in the custody of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The deceased were predominantly aged between 14 and 18 years, with at least one victim being seven years old.

NSCDC's commandant, Suberu Aniviye, initially attributed the deaths to a "sudden disease outbreak," a claim criticized for lacking credibility. Survivors reported severe overcrowding and acute respiratory distress in the detention facility, suggesting that the deaths were more likely due to inhumane conditions rather than a disease.

This incident echoes a similar tragedy from February 29, 1980, when 50 suspects died after being crammed into a police vehicle. The article underscores a culture of penal indifference in Nigeria, where individuals in custody are often treated worse than convicts, and calls for transparent investigations and structural reforms in the penal system.