Niger State Miners Found Dead in NSCDC Custody Sparks Outcry

In the early hours of Thursday, officers at a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) facility in the Wushishi/Lukoto axis of Minna, Niger State, discovered 37 detained miners dead in their cell, with minors reportedly among the deceased. The men had been arrested two days earlier for alleged illegal mining.

The NSCDC's Niger State Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, attributed the deaths to a “suspected outbreak of disease” without investigation, but the NSCDC later insisted on a proper laboratory examination for the true cause. Amnesty International Nigeria called for a prompt, independent inquiry, emphasizing that the state must explain the deaths of citizens in custody.

The Northern Senators Forum, led by Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua (Katsina Central), demanded independent autopsies and accountability for any negligence. In response, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo suspended Aniviye and formed a 10-member independent committee to investigate.

Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago declared three days of mourning and initiated his own inquiry.