The 37 miners deaths in Niger State custody have triggered a federal probe, with Nigeria suspending 20 NSCDC officers after the detainees died on September 17 in Minna.
MINNA, NIGERIA — The Federal Government has suspended 20 officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, including the Niger State Commandant, after 37 suspected illegal miners died in NSCDC custody in Niger State on Thursday, September 17, 2026. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has also ordered a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
According to Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the government has constituted a 10-member independent committee to establish the identities of those who died, examine their arrests and detention, determine the cause of death and identify any responsibility, negligence or misconduct. The panel has two weeks to submit its report.
The deaths occurred after NSCDC officers arrested scores of suspected illegal miners during operations at M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas on September 15 and 16. The Corps initially said some detainees died after a suspected disease outbreak and transferred the bodies to General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination.
Newstridez reviewed the federal government statement, NSCDC account and reports from the scene and found that the official explanation remains under investigation. Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago later disclosed that 67 artisanal and suspected illegal miners had been held in the cell before 37 died, raising questions about overcrowding and detention conditions.
Bago said authorities had not established the exact cause of death. He said investigators were considering possible suffocation caused by overcrowding and exposure to hazardous substances linked to mining activities. Survivors also told news organisations that detainees had been packed into a poorly ventilated cell, but investigators have yet to establish the final cause.
The conflicting accounts have intensified public concern in Minna, where hundreds of people protested on Friday over the deaths. Reuters reported that security forces used force to disperse demonstrators, while the Niger State Government imposed a curfew after violence and damage were reported during the protests.
Residents told Newstridez that the deaths have generated anger across Minna, particularly among families and communities connected to artisanal mining. The protests also brought the wider debate over illegal mining into focus, with residents demanding answers about how so many detainees came to be held in one facility and what happened before the deaths.
The federal panel will be chaired by Jonathan Kure, a retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, while Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, will serve as secretary. Other members include retired senior security officers, a medical specialist, representatives of the Minna Emirate Council and Niger State Government, and a representative of the Miners Association of Nigeria.
Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju is also a member of the panel, alongside Blueprint newspaper’s Zainab Suleiman Okino and public affairs analyst George Agbakahi. The government said the committee can visit relevant locations, examine documents and evidence, request information from members of the public and bring in additional experts where necessary.
Tunji-Ojo said the government owes the families of the deceased and Nigerians a transparent account of what happened. He also ordered the preservation of all records and material evidence connected with the arrests, detention and deaths. The minister warned that anyone who destroys evidence, intimidates witnesses or obstructs the investigation will face consequences.
The government has also suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, along with 20 officers connected to the operation and detention. The suspended personnel include arresting officers, investigators, legal officers, duty officers and guards who worked at the facility where the detainees were held.
The suspension does not establish guilt against any of the officers. Instead, the government said the measure will allow investigators to examine the conduct of officials involved without interference. The final findings are expected to determine whether overcrowding, illness, suffocation, exposure to hazardous substances, negligence or other factors contributed to the deaths.
The incident has also raised questions about Nigeria’s continuing battle against illegal mining. Authorities have repeatedly targeted illegal mining operations because of environmental damage, unsafe working conditions and concerns that illicit mining networks can support criminal activity. In this case, however, the circumstances surrounding the detainees’ deaths have become a separate issue requiring independent scrutiny.
The 37 miners deaths have also placed pressure on the government to address conditions inside detention facilities operated by security agencies. The question now extends beyond the arrests themselves to whether officials followed lawful procedures for detention, provided adequate ventilation and medical attention, and maintained a safe environment for people in custody.
Data reviewed by Newstridez shows that the number of deaths confirmed by government sources stands at 37, while the number of people reportedly detained in the cell reached 67. The figures make the investigation into detention capacity, supervision and medical response central to determining what happened on September 17.
The protests have added another layer to the crisis. Reuters reported that Minna authorities imposed an overnight curfew after demonstrations over the deaths, while other reports said the state government imposed a 24-hour restriction following violence and destruction of property. Security forces also used tear gas as protesters gathered around the NSCDC office.
Rights groups have called for an independent investigation not only into the deaths but also into the handling of the protests. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, urged United Nations special rapporteurs to demand answers from the Nigerian government over both the deaths in custody and the reported use of force against protesters.
The Federal Government has said the panel must work without interference and that no person found culpable will be shielded. Information Minister Mohammed Idris also cautioned against reaching conclusions before investigators complete their work, while stressing that the government would pursue accountability where wrongdoing emerges.
For the families of the deceased, the immediate issue remains establishing how their relatives died after entering government custody alive. For residents of Niger State, the episode has also renewed concerns about illegal mining, detention practices and the response of security agencies when public anger rises.
As at the time of filing this report, the independent panel had two weeks to complete its investigation and submit its findings to the Interior Minister. The cause of the deaths remains subject to investigation, while the suspended NSCDC officers will remain off duty pending the outcome of the process.
The 37 miners deaths now sit at the centre of a federal accountability process that will examine the arrests, detention conditions and circumstances surrounding the deaths. The outcome of the panel’s work is expected to determine responsibility, recommend action or compensation where appropriate, and identify measures to prevent a similar incident from happening again.
"We are not into illegal mining… Niger State Civil Defence Corps don't have the right to shoot at us… We are under 18, and we are not allowed to be taken inside a cell… Heat cannot kill a gold miner…"
— News Central TV (@NewsCentralTV) September 19, 2026
Following the deaths of miners in Niger State custody, a witness has… pic.twitter.com/T3n3SymSiJ
