Survivor Claims NSCDC Sprayed Substance on Miners in Niger

A survivor from the illegal mining incident in Niger State alleged that officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) sprayed an unknown substance inside a cell where miners were detained. This allegation was made during a visit by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to survivors currently in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

The survivor recounted that 17 miners were initially placed in a small room, which became overcrowded when eight more individuals were added. Despite their pleas for more space, they were moved to a hot cell where the substance was sprayed.

Following this, several miners began to collapse, and although some remained conscious, they were instructed to stay inside despite the distress. The incident reportedly occurred after the miners had been arrested and taken into custody, prompting the minister's visit to understand the situation better.