Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Federation of Nigerian Mining Host Communities has called for an independent and transparent investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, Niger State, demanding a full forensic determination of the cause and manner of death and insisting that mourning alone cannot replace accountability. In a statement signed by its Co-Chairs, Dr Temitope Olaifa and Alhaji Abubakar Wushishi, the federation said the victims were arrested on September 15 and 16, 2026, around the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto axis of Minna during enforcement operations against suspected illegal mining.
According to the group, the detainees were subsequently taken to an NSCDC facility, where their deaths were discovered in the early hours of September 17. The FNMHC expressed concern over what it described as the initial attribution of the deaths by the NSCDC to a suspected disease outbreak before an investigation had established the cause of death. The organisation welcomed the subsequent position of the NSCDC national headquarters that the cause of death had not yet been established and its decision to constitute an investigative team. "An incident in which 37 people lose their lives within two days in state custody demands an investigation that is independent, transparent, comprehensive, and capable of establishing individual and institutional responsibility," the federation said.
The scale of the tragedy has triggered a wave of demands for accountability from across civil society. The Youth Arise Movement, Women in Mining Nigeria, and human rights lawyer Femi Falana have all called for a thorough probe and justice for the deceased. Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, urged the Attorneys-General of Niger and Ondo states to ensure the prosecution of suspects linked to separate incidents that led to the deaths of scores of Nigerians in custody and through a suspected toxic outbreak. Avocats Sans Frontières France expressed grave concern over reports of severe overcrowding, inadequate ventilation, and delayed access to assistance at the facility. A Yoruba group, Yoruba Ronu, urged the Presidency to hold the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, responsible, as the deaths occurred within an enforcement structure established to combat illegal mining.
The FNMHC raised specific concerns that require urgent investigation. It called for a full forensic determination of the cause and manner of death, preservation of evidence, and accountability at every level where wrongdoing is established. It also demanded an independent investigation into allegations by relatives that they were prevented from providing food to detainees and that officials allegedly demanded N100,000 for the release of each detainee. The federation stressed that such allegations should be independently investigated to establish whether there were violations in the treatment of detainees or the exercise of custodial authority. It further raised concerns over reports that some of the deceased may have been minors, calling for that to form part of the investigation.
The group also expressed concern over the reported use of force during protests that followed the deaths in Minna, including allegations that live ammunition was used against protesters. It called for an independent inquiry into the deployment and use of force, urging authorities to determine whether the response complied with applicable laws and standards governing policing and public assemblies. The federation acknowledged the Niger State Government's declaration of three days of mourning over the incident but stressed that mourning should be accompanied by accountability. "Mourning cannot substitute for accountability, and an investigation cannot be considered complete unless it establishes how 37 people came to die in the custody of the state and identifies those responsible where wrongdoing is found," the FNMHC said.
The Federal Government has responded to the crisis by constituting a 10-member independent committee to investigate the deaths, following President Bola Tinubu's directive for a comprehensive, transparent, and unhindered investigation. The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the committee on Saturday, September 19, 2026, and ordered the suspension of the Niger State Commandant of the NSCDC, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, alongside 20 other officers involved in the arrests, detention, and guarding of the suspects. The committee is chaired by retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, with Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN, former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, serving as secretary. Other members include retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police Hosea Hassan Karma, Professor of Histopathology Olayinka Buhari, representatives of the Minna Emirate Council and Niger State Government, National Secretary of the Miners Association of Nigeria Liman Sulaiman, lawyer and human rights activist Deji Adeyanju, journalist Zainab Suleiman Okino, and public affairs analyst Dr George Agbakahi. The committee has two weeks to conclude its investigation and submit its report.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths have been the subject of conflicting accounts. The NSCDC initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, but later clarified that the actual cause had yet to be established and that medical and laboratory examinations would be required. Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State disclosed that 67 artisanal and suspected illegal miners were detained in the NSCDC cell before 37 of them died, and suggested that overcrowding and exposure to hazardous substances from mining activities may have contributed. "The first one is that the office of the Niger State Civil Defence arrested 67 artisans and illegal miners and put them in their cell. So probably they died of suffocation. Probably the second one is exposure to certain poisons or poisoning substances on the field," Bago said. He called for autopsies and medical examinations to be expedited, stressing that "even at times of war, if you kill 37 people, it is not a small number."
The FNMHC has urged the Federal Government, Niger State Government, NSCDC, Nigeria Police Force, and other relevant authorities to conduct the investigations with the independence, transparency, and urgency demanded by the scale of the tragedy. It also urged the government to protect witnesses, surviving detainees, relatives, and community members who may have information relevant to the investigations. "People who are suspected of illegal mining remain entitled to the protection of the law. Arrest and detention do not suspend the state's obligation to protect life and human dignity," the federation said. The organisation further argued that tackling illegal and unsafe mining should go beyond enforcement operations, calling for stronger safety, environmental, and human rights protections across the mining sector.
For the families of the 37 deceased, the investigations represent the only path to understanding what happened to their loved ones and securing justice. For the mining communities of Niger State, the tragedy is a stark reminder of the dangerous conditions under which artisanal miners work and the vulnerability of those who are arrested and detained. The Federal Government's probe, and the parallel investigations by the Niger State Police Command and the NSCDC, will determine whether the deaths were the result of negligence, misconduct, or circumstances beyond the control of the authorities. The FNMHC has made its position clear: the investigation must be independent, transparent, and thorough. Anything less would be a betrayal of the 37 people who died in the custody of the state.
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