Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The bodies were discovered in the early hours of Thursday, September 17, 2026. Thirty-seven people, arrested just days earlier on suspicion of illegal mining, were found dead inside a detention facility run by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, the capital of Niger State. They had been taken into custody during operations in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas on September 15 and 16. By the time the sun rose on Thursday, they were gone.
The NSCDC's initial explanation was a suspected disease outbreak. The state commandant at the time, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, said the detainees' bodies had been sent to a local hospital for medical examination to establish the actual cause of death. But a survivor, Dauda Shehu, gave a different account. Speaking to the Associated Press from the Minna General Hospital, where the bodies were taken, he said 65 detainees had been packed into a poorly ventilated cell. "We were jampacked and there was no ventilation for us to breathe well," Shehu said. "All of a sudden, we realized that we could not breathe and we started scrambling to get fresh air." He said the detainees tried to get the attention of the guards by banging on the cell door.
An intelligence report shared with the Agence France-Presse suggested the group had died because of overcrowding and poor ventilation inside the facility. A local government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the BBC that some detainees had been held for 48 hours without food or water. The official said he saw the bodies, many of them young men, and that the deaths were a result of suffocation, not disease. The NSCDC has not publicly responded to these allegations.
The deaths sparked immediate outrage. Residents protested in Minna, forcing Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago to declare a 24-hour curfew in the state capital. Governor Bago ordered a full investigation into the incident and declared three days of mourning. He said possible causes being considered included suffocation and exposure to hazardous substances associated with illegal mining activities. President Bola Tinubu ordered a full and transparent investigation, stating that the government would not tolerate mass deaths arising from official negligence, dereliction of duty, or failure by public officials to protect the lives placed under their care.
By Friday, September 18, the Federal Government had ordered the immediate suspension of the Niger State NSCDC commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye. The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the suspension of 20 NSCDC officers in connection with the deaths. Among those suspended were the Officer in Charge of the Station Guard, two station guards, three arresting officers, and several guard duty officers. Tunji-Ojo also constituted a 10-member independent committee, chaired by a retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, to investigate the reported deaths.
On Friday, September 18, Abdulhamid Kabara assumed duty as the new commandant of the NSCDC Niger State Command. His deployment was announced by the NSCDC spokesperson in Niger State, Abubakar Muti, in a statement on Saturday. "The assumption of office comes at a particularly sensitive period for the Command, following the unfortunate deaths of some persons arrested in connection with suspected illegal mining activities in the State," the statement read. Kabara expressed deep sadness over the loss of lives and extended his heartfelt sympathy to the families of the deceased. He said the corps remained committed to its statutory responsibilities, including arrests, investigations, enforcement and the fight against illegal mining, but stressed that the protection of human life must remain a priority. "At a moment like this, beyond arrests, investigations, enforcement and the fight against illegal mining, we must remember one fundamental truth: every human life matters," he said. "The loss of any human life is painful, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families who are mourning at this difficult time."
Kabara also emphasised that law enforcement responsibilities must be balanced with the need to protect people in custody. He said the responsibility of safeguarding society and enforcing the law must go hand in hand with upholding the dignity, safety and welfare of persons in custody. He assured that the corps would continue to carry out its duties within the framework of the law while upholding the rights and welfare of persons in its custody. He prayed that Almighty Allah forgive the shortcomings of the deceased, grant them eternal rest, and give their families the strength to bear the irreparable loss.
The investigation into the deaths is ongoing. The Niger State Police Command has also commenced its own investigation, with the Commissioner of Police, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, ordering an inquiry following the incident. The police have urged relatives of the victims to come forward with any information that could help. The bodies have been deposited at the Minna General Hospital for medical examination to establish the actual cause of death. Some victims have already been buried, while others remain in the mortuary, according to Governor Bago.
The mass deaths have raised serious questions about the conditions in Nigeria's detention facilities, particularly those run by agencies like the NSCDC, which are not primarily designed for long-term custody. The victims were suspects, not convicted criminals. They were entitled to the presumption of innocence and to humane treatment while in custody. Instead, they died in a cell, their deaths a grim testament to a system that often treats the accused as less than human. The suspensions and investigations are a necessary first step. But they will mean little if they do not lead to accountability, reform, and a commitment to ensuring that no Nigerian dies in custody for a crime they have not been proven to have committed. The new commandant has promised that every human life matters. The families of the 37 who died in Minna are waiting to see if those words are matched by action.
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