At least 37 suspected illegal miners, including teenagers, have died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, the capital of Niger State.
The victims were among suspects arrested on September 15 and 16 by NSCDC operatives over allegations of illegal mining, with detainees picked up from the Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Housing Estate and Lukoto village.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago told reporters the state woke up to news of the deaths in NSCDC custody in Minna.
According to reports gathered by Truth live news International, some of the victims were internally displaced persons from communities in the Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.
The deaths have triggered public outrage and prompted swift official response. Governor Bago confirmed the toll and announced that Commandant Aniviye had been suspended from his post, while police said they had launched a formal investigation into the deaths.
NSCDC national spokesman Babawale Afolabi said the Commandant General had ordered a high-powered investigative team, led by the Deputy Commandant General for Intelligence and Investigation, to examine the circumstances of the arrests, the suspects’ condition in custody, detention conditions and the medical attention provided.
Niger state, more than twice the size of Belgium, is rich in minerals including gold, tantalite, copper and lithium, and draws thousands of artisanal miners hoping to strike it rich, while analysts have linked illegal mining in Nigeria’s north-central and northwest regions to armed groups involved in kidnappings for ransom, who are said to draw funding from the illicit trade.
