At least 37 suspected illegal miners die in Nigerian security custody in Minna

Suspected miners die in Minna custody

Security forces in north-central Nigeria reported that dozens of detainees died while held at a detention facility on Thursday, 17 September 2026. The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) had apprehended the individuals during enforcement operations carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday against suspected illegal mining across Niger state. NSCDC spokesman Abubakar Muti stated that at least 33 suspects were found dead, while Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago announced during a press conference broadcast on TVC News that the death toll had reached approximately 37. Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, the head of the NSCDC command in Niger state, confirmed that the corpses were transported to a local hospital for formal medical examinations to determine the precise cause of death.

This morning we woke up to the news that about 37 persons died in the custody of the civil defense here in Minna.

Overcrowding and disease claims

Security officials initially stated that the detainees died during the night of 17 September 2026 following a suspected disease outbreak in the detention area, though agency representatives declined to identify any specific illness. That claim was contested by an internal intelligence report consulted by AFP, which determined that the fatalities were caused by severe overcrowding and insufficient ventilation inside the holding cell. A surviving detainee told the Associated Press that guards had locked approximately 65 individuals into a single poorly ventilated room with inadequate airflow. As air ran out, detainees began to suffocate and crowded toward the entrance while banging on the metal cell door to gain the attention of security personnel stationed outside.

It's so sad, it's so tragic.

Official inquiry, mourning period, and election delays

Governor Bago announced the immediate establishment of a commission of inquiry to investigate the detention facility conditions and establish accountability for the deaths. The Niger state government declared three days of official mourning in honour of the victims. In response to the crisis, authorities also suspended the scheduled opening of campaign activities for Nigeria's January 2027 general elections, which include presidential, legislative, and senatorial races. Public grief intensified after a 40-second video surfaced online showing the bodies of dozens of young men, many appearing to be teenagers, lying outdoors on the ground. In the recording, gloved volunteers examined the bodies while distraught women searched for relatives and bystanders shouted accusations against the security corps.

Protests in Minna and gold mining tensions

The custody deaths prompted unrest across Minna on Thursday as groups of artisanal miners and local sympathizers gathered to protest against the security services and demand answers from officials. Demonstrators marched through parts of the regional capital, where several cars were vandalized and damaged during the street gatherings. Niger state, which spans an area more than twice the size of Belgium, contains rich mineral deposits that draw thousands of informal workers who extract gold. The NSCDC routinely operates alongside national police forces to secure infrastructure and suppress illegal mining operations, leading to frequent confrontations over access to mineral extraction sites.