FG Panel Finds 37 Suspected Miners Died From Suffocation In NSCDC Custody
A Federal Government investigative panel has found that 37 suspected illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State died from suffocation.
The panel chairman, Jonathan Kure, a former Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), disclosed the findings on Tuesday while presenting the committee’s report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja.
The victims died on September 17, 2026, at the NSCDC Niger State Command headquarters in Minna after being arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of the state.
Their deaths sparked nationwide outrage and calls for an independent investigation. While the NSCDC initially attributed the deaths to possible illness and exhaustion, relatives of the deceased alleged overcrowding, poor ventilation and inhumane detention conditions.
Following the public outcry, Tunji-Ojo established the independent committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths, interview relevant officers, survivors and families, and recommend appropriate action.
The submission of the report is expected to guide the Federal Government’s next steps, including possible sanctions and reforms to the management of detention facilities operated by paramilitary agencies.
