37 Suspected Miners Died From Suffocation In NSCDC Custody – FG Panel

The federal government’s Independent Investigative Committee probing the deaths of 37 persons in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State has found that the deceased died from asphyxiation.

The committee chairman and former deputy director-general of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, disclosed this on Tuesday while presenting the panel’s report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja.

The finding marks a major development in the investigation into the deaths of the suspected illegal miners, who died on September 17, 2026, while in the custody of the NSCDC Niger State Command in Minna.

The victims were among dozens of persons arrested during joint operations by the NSCDC against suspected illegal mining activities in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State. This region has witnessed a surge in unregulated mining.

Following their arrest, the suspects were taken to the NSCDC Niger State Command headquarters in Minna for profiling and further investigation.

On September 17, the Corps announced that 37 of those in custody had died under controversial circumstances, triggering nationwide outrage and calls for an independent probe from civil society groups and human rights activists.

Initial reports by the NSCDC attributed the deaths to possible illness and exhaustion, but families of the deceased alleged overcrowding, poor ventilation, and inhumane detention conditions.

Concerned by the public outcry, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, constituted an Independent Investigative Committee headed by former Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, with a mandate to unravel the circumstances surrounding the deaths and recommend appropriate actions.

The committee was tasked with conducting a forensic examination, visiting the detention facility, interviewing officers on duty, survivors, and families of the victims, and reviewing the operational procedures of the NSCDC.

The presentation of the report today is expected to pave the way for further actions by the federal government, including possible sanctions and reforms in custodial management by paramilitary agencies.