By Ghazali Ibrahim
A Federal Government investigative panel has found that 37 suspected illegal miners died from suffocation while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.
The chairman of the 10-member committee, Jonathan Kure, disclosed the finding on Tuesday while presenting the panel’s report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja.
According to reports, the panel established that the victims died from asphyxiation, a condition in which the body is deprived of sufficient oxygen, leading to unconsciousness and potentially death.
The miners died in the early hours of September 17, 2026, after being arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State.
The deaths sparked public outrage and calls for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the detention of the suspects.
Initial accounts from officials raised the possibility of a disease outbreak, while a survivor said dozens of detainees were packed into a poorly ventilated cell and struggled to breathe.
The Federal Government subsequently constituted an independent investigative committee to establish the cause of death, examine the conditions under which the suspects were detained and determine whether any officers were responsible for negligence or misconduct.
The panel’s latest finding provides an official explanation for the deaths, which had remained a major subject of public concern since the incident.
The government is expected to consider the panel’s recommendations as it determines the next steps in addressing the incident and holding anyone found culpable accountable.
