37 miners died of suffocation in NSCDC custody – Investigative panel

A Federal Government investigative committee has found that 37 suspected illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State in September died from asphyxiation.

The chairman of the Independent Investigative Committee, Jonathan Kure, a retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), disclosed the finding on Tuesday while presenting the panel’s report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja. Blueprint reports

The finding marks a major development in the investigation into the deaths, which occurred on September 17, 2026, at an NSCDC detention facility in Minna after the victims were arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State.

The incident triggered public outrage, protests and calls for accountability, with questions raised over the conditions in which the detainees were held and the response of security personnel when they reportedly began experiencing breathing difficulties.

The panel was constituted by the Federal Government following President Bola Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive, transparent and independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Although the asphyxiation finding establishes a major aspect of the tragedy, determining the full sequence of events, whether negligence or misconduct occurred and who should be held responsible remains central to the demand for justice.

The deceased were among scores of people arrested on September 15 and 16 during enforcement operations against suspected illegal mining around M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto, near Minna, the Niger State capital.

The NSCDC initially confirmed that some detainees had been found dead in the early hours of September 17, with their bodies deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination.

At the time, the corps said a suspected disease outbreak was being considered, while stressing that the actual cause of death had not been established.

However, accounts subsequently provided by survivors raised serious questions about the conditions inside the detention facility.

In an investigation published by Premium Times on September 29, survivors described overcrowded and poorly ventilated cells in which detainees struggled to breathe and repeatedly called for assistance.

One survivor, 19-year-old Adamu Isah, said detainees became distressed before some of them began dying. He also alleged that a substance had been sprayed around the entrance to their cell shortly before the situation deteriorated.

Other survivors described hearing men in the adjoining cell screaming and pleading for water, while some reportedly banged on the walls and doors.

A 15-year-old survivor, Zuwayra Aliyu, told the publication that the women detained nearby could hear the men crying out before they were informed the following morning that several had died.

These accounts heightened concerns about overcrowding, ventilation and the adequacy of the response by officers responsible for the detainees.

The allegations concerning the spraying of a chemical substance have not, on their own, established that it caused the deaths. The panel’s finding of asphyxiation provides an important medical conclusion, but the specific circumstances and any individual responsibility must be assessed against the full investigative evidence.

Federal Government launches independent investigation

Following the incident, President Tinubu directed a comprehensive investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and determine whether any officers or other persons were responsible.

The Minister of Interior subsequently constituted a 10-member Independent Investigative Committee, which was inaugurated in Abuja on September 22.

The committee was chaired by Kure, while Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, served as secretary.

Other members included retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police Hosea Hassan Karma; Professor Olayinka Buhari, a histopathology specialist and former Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital; representatives of relevant government and community institutions; the National Secretary of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Liman Sulaiman; lawyer and human rights activist Deji Adeyanju; Blueprint newspaper representative Zainab Suleiman Okino; and public affairs analyst George Agbakahi.

The committee’s mandate included establishing the identities of the deceased, examining the circumstances surrounding their arrests and detention, determining the cause and manner of death through medical and forensic investigations, and identifying any negligence, misconduct, complicity or breach of duty.

It was also expected to recommend appropriate disciplinary measures, compensation where applicable and safeguards to prevent a recurrence.

During an update on October 6, Kure said the panel had inspected the detention facility, conducted autopsies, interviewed survivors and bereaved families, obtained statements from NSCDC personnel and collected documentary and forensic evidence.

He disclosed that preliminary findings had raised concerns about institutional gaps, overzealousness and the need for improved training and professionalism among some personnel.

The committee sought additional time to complete its work, citing the volume of evidence, pending medical reports and the need to allow people implicated in the incident to respond before final conclusions were reached.

NSCDC officers suspended as outrage grows

The Federal Government suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, and 20 other officers whose duties were connected to the arrests, investigation, legal handling and supervision of detainees.

The suspensions were announced pending the outcome of the independent investigation and were not, in themselves, findings of criminal guilt.

The tragedy also sparked protests in Minna on September 18, as residents, young people and relatives of the deceased demanded answers.

Police fired tear gas to disperse protesters, according to the Associated Press, while the Niger State Government imposed a temporary curfew amid rising tensions.

The deaths also prompted renewed scrutiny of detention conditions and the treatment of suspects by security agencies.

The government’s decision to establish an independent panel was intended to provide a more comprehensive account of what happened and determine whether operational failures contributed to the loss of lives.

Suspended commandant apologises to families

In a related development, the suspended Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Aniviye, apologised to the families of the deceased while testifying before a separate panel of inquiry in Niger State.

According to Premium Times, he described the incident as an avoidable mistake and appealed to the bereaved families for forgiveness.

His apology came amid continuing demands for accountability and clarification of the circumstances under which the detainees died.

The Federal Government also announced a donation of N250 million to support the affected families during Vice-President Kashim Shettima’s visit to Minna on October 5.

Accountability and detention reforms in focus

While the assistance provides some relief, the families’ demand for answers remains tied to the findings of the investigations and the consequences for anyone found culpable.

The finding that the 37 detainees died from asphyxiation is expected to intensify scrutiny of the conditions under which they were held and the actions taken by officers responsible for their custody.

The circumstances raise wider questions about the duty of security agencies to protect the lives of people in detention, regardless of the allegations that led to their arrest.

Suspected illegal mining is a serious concern for communities and authorities, particularly where mining activities damage farmland, threaten residential areas or undermine regulation of the sector. However, enforcement operations must be conducted within the law, and suspects must be kept in conditions that protect their health and safety.

The tragedy has also highlighted the need for proper detention monitoring, adequate ventilation, timely medical intervention and clear procedures for responding to emergencies involving detainees.

The panel’s final recommendations will be important in determining what changes are necessary within the NSCDC and whether disciplinary or other legal proceedings should follow.

For the families of the 37 deceased, the investigation represents an effort to establish what happened to their relatives after they were taken into custody.

With the panel now reporting that the deaths resulted from asphyxiation, attention will turn to the full findings, the circumstances that led to the fatal loss of oxygen and whether identifiable failures or misconduct contributed to the tragedy.

The Federal Government has pledged that anyone found culpable will not be shielded. The credibility of that commitment will ultimately be measured by the transparency of the findings and the action taken after the investigation.