By Awwal Umar Kontagora No fewer than 33 suspected illegal miners reportedly died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security a...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
No fewer than 33 suspected illegal miners reportedly died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Niger State Command, in Minna, the state capital.
It was reliably gathered that the victims were among suspected illegal miners arrested at mining sites around M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto villages before being taken into NSCDC custody in Minna.
A survivor, Abdullahi, said a total of 65 people were arrested during the NSCDC operation, while six others were hospitalised.
He alleged that the detainees were overcrowded in the facility and kept in poorly ventilated conditions, making it difficult for them to breathe and allegedly contributing to the deaths.
However, in a press statement, the NSCDC Niger State Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, said the Corps could not yet establish the actual cause of the deaths, but confirmed that scores of detained suspects had died following a suspected outbreak of disease.
According to the commandant, the NSCDC Niger State Command, as part of its renewed efforts to curb illegal mining activities in the state, conducted a “burst operation” on September 15 and 16, 2026.
The operation, he said, resulted in the arrest of scores of suspected illegal miners and the recovery of various exhibits.
Aniviye confirmed that, in the early hours of September 17, 2026, scores of the detained suspects were found dead following what was suspected to be an outbreak of disease.
He stated that the corpses of the deceased had been deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for further medical examination to establish the actual cause of death.
The commandant said the Corps, in collaboration with sister security agencies, was on top of the situation. He appealed to members of the public and the families of the deceased to remain calm and refrain from any actions that could lead to a breakdown of law and order in the state.
The NSCDC Niger State Command reiterated its commitment to the protection of human rights and adherence to international human rights charters, while carrying out its statutory responsibilities, including the protection of lives and property as well as critical national assets and infrastructure.
It would be recalled that, sometime last month, a Civil Defence officer was reportedly killed in Kurokpa community while personnel were conducting an operation against illegal mining activities in the area.
The Corps has also reportedly lost personnel in previous operations in the state, while some of its operational vehicles were burnt during various enforcement operations.
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