On 17 September 2026, 37 artisanal miners—most of them teenagers—were found dead in a crowded cell at the Minna, Niger State command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The deaths, which occurred while the miners were in NSCDC custody, have prompted the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) to demand a full overhaul of the agency’s operations and compensation for the victims’ families.
MURIC’s statement, signed by its Northern States and Abuja coordinator Malam Hassan Sani Indabawa, described the incident as “unfortunate” and called for immediate action from the federal government under President Bola Tinubu. The organisation highlighted that the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria strictly prohibits the torture of detainees under Section 34(1).
According to Indabawa, the miners were “jammed together under severely inhumane conditions, with poor ventilation and excessive heat.” The cramped cell conditions were cited as a key factor in the fatalities.
“In view of the above, therefore, MURIC hereby demands justice for the deceased and adequate compensation for their bereaved parents and relatives in order to serve as a lesson to others who abuse power,” the statement read. It also urged the federal government to “overhaul the operational and custodial practices of the NSCDC nationwide to avert public apathy and distrust of the security agency.”
“The suspects were alleged to have been jammed together under severely inhumane conditions, with poor ventilation and excessive heat,” said Indabawa.
MURIC’s appeal follows the tragic deaths of the miners, a development that has drawn national attention to the conditions within NSCDC detention facilities. The organisation’s call for reform and compensation underscores concerns about detainee treatment and the need for accountability within Nigeria’s security agencies.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
