NCSCN Demands Prosecution of NSCDC Officers for Miners' Deaths

The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN) condemned the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in a detention facility in Minna, Niger State. The NCSCN described the facility as "deplorable, unhealthy, inhumane, severely overcrowded and grossly unfit for human habitation." This condemnation came after an independent 10-man committee, established by President Bola Ahmed on September 19, 2026, reported that the detainees died from suffocation due to inadequate ventilation.

The NCSCN, led by Executive Director Amb. Blessing A. Akinlosotu, commended the committee, chaired by Jonathan Kure, for its thorough investigation. While welcoming the suspension of 21 NSCDC officers linked to the incident, the council demanded their immediate dismissal and prosecution.

The NCSCN also cleared NSCDC's Commander General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, of wrongdoing, noting that the operation was conducted without proper authorization. The council called for increased funding for the NSCDC and other security agencies to improve detention facilities and personnel training.