NSCDC Confirms 33 Suspected Illegal Miners Died in Custody in Niger State

BREAKING: The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Niger State Command, has confirmed that scores of suspected illegal miners arrested during a two-day operation on 15th and 16th September 2026 died in their custody on Thursday morning, 17th September 2026.

The Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, signed a statement acknowledging the deaths, which they attribute to a suspected outbreak of disease. He said the bodies have been deposited at General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination to establish the actual cause of death. Local media are reporting that 33 suspects died, though the BBC has not independently verified this figure.

The Niger State Police Command has also confirmed the incident. The Commissioner of Police, CP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, SCID Minna, to take over the investigation. The police spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun, said the directive came after the unfortunate incident where persons arrested as illegal miners died in custody.

The NSCDC is appealing to the public and families of the deceased to remain calm and avoid any action that could lead to a breakdown of law and order. This is a tragedy on every level. Arrested suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty, and the state owes them a duty of care while in custody. An outbreak of disease in a detention facility raises serious questions about the conditions these men were held in. Was there overcrowding? Was there access to medical care? Who was on duty when they fell ill? The police investigation must be transparent and swift. If negligence is established, those responsible must face the full weight of the law. The families deserve answers, not just condolences. What exactly happened in that facility between 15th and 17th September?