A survivor of the illegal mining disaster in Niger State has claimed that officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) sprayed an unknown substance inside the cell where detained miners were being held. The allegation was made public during a visit by Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji‑Ojo to survivors who remain in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The survivor recounted that 17 miners were first confined in a small room, after which eight additional people were forced in. “They put us in a small room. There were 17 of us, and they put us there. Then they brought eight more people. We told them that the room was too small and that it was not enough for us, but they told us to stand up, so we stood up,” he said.
“They later took us to the cell. It was very hot there, and they locked us inside. They then started spraying something. After that, some people started falling down. Some of us were still conscious, but they said we should remain there. We told them that people were dying, but they did not listen. I did not know what the substance was, but after they sprayed it, people started falling down. That was what happened to us,” the survivor alleged.
The survivor added that the spraying occurred after the miners had been arrested and placed in custody. He said the authorities did not explain the nature of the substance, and that several detainees collapsed following its application.
Minister Tunji‑Ojo’s visit, captured in a video posted on X by the account @NigAffairs, was described as an effort to understand the circumstances of the tragedy and to hear directly from those who survived. The incident has revived concerns over the safety of illegal mining operations in Niger State, prompting ongoing investigations by security agencies.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
