The Niger State Government has confirmed that 67 artisanal and suspected illegal miners were detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) before 37 of them died in custody. The deaths were discovered in the early hours of 17 September 2026, after the miners had been arrested during NSCDC operations in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas on 15 and 16 September.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago addressed journalists in Minna on Friday, stating that the exact cause of death had not yet been established. He said authorities were investigating possible suffocation linked to overcrowding in the cell and exposure to hazardous substances associated with mining activities.
“The first one is that the office of the Niger State Civil Defence arrested 67 artisans and illegal miners and put them in their cell. So probably they died of suffocation. Probably the second one is exposure to certain poisons or poisoning substances on the field,” Bago said.
Medical, forensic and biological teams have been deployed to collect samples and conduct autopsies, with experts also examining the possibility of radiological exposure at the mining site. Bago urged that these examinations be completed quickly to establish the cause of death.
Initially, the NSCDC attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, but later clarified that the cause was still undetermined and that laboratory investigations were required. The Federal Government has ordered a full investigation and has suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, along with key officers pending the probe’s outcome.
Governor Bago said the state government would continue working with security agencies and medical experts to clarify the circumstances surrounding the deaths and urged the public to remain calm while the investigation proceeds.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
