Grace Adeleke
At least 33 suspected illegal miners have reportedly died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State, following an alleged outbreak of disease among detainees.
The deaths occurred shortly after the suspects were arrested during an anti-illegal-mining operation conducted by the NSCDC in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of the state.
The Niger State Command of the NSCDC confirmed the deaths on Thursday, saying some of the suspects were found dead in the early hours of September 17.
The commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, said the arrests followed “burst operations” carried out on September 15 and 16 as part of efforts to clamp down on illegal mining activities in the state.
According to him, the operation led to the arrest of “scores” of suspected illegal miners and the recovery of various exhibits.
“However, in the early hours of 17th September, 2026, scores of the detained suspects were found dead, following a suspected outbreak of disease,” Aniviye said in a statement.
He added that the corpses had been deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination to establish the actual cause of death.
Although the NSCDC did not initially state the exact number of fatalities, multiple reports identified the death toll as 33. The Corps has also not officially established the nature of the suspected disease.
A report by THISDAY said six other detained miners were taken to hospital for treatment, while the cause of the deaths remained subject to medical confirmation.
Reports from other Nigerian media outlets also said 33 detainees were affected, but accounts differed on the circumstances surrounding their detention and the suspected cause of death. The NSCDC’s official statement, however, attributed the deaths only to a suspected outbreak of disease, pending medical examination.
The development has raised questions about the health conditions of the detainees and circumstances surrounding their deaths, particularly because the fatalities occurred while they were in security custody.
The NSCDC said it was working with sister security agencies to manage the situation and appealed to relatives of the deceased and members of the public to remain calm.
The Corps also reiterated its commitment to human rights and international human rights charters in the discharge of its duties.
It expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and said medical examination would be relied upon to determine what caused the deaths.
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