New allegations have emerged regarding the deaths of suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State. In response, the Federal Government ordered the immediate suspension of the state commandant, Suberu Aniviye, and opened a full investigation.
An anonymous source within the Niger State NSCDC office claimed the detainees died from suffocation, extreme heat, and severe overcrowding. The source revealed that cells meant to accommodate three to five people were crammed with over 15 suspects, forcing some to sleep on top of each other. The source added that poor hygiene and a lack of restroom access created a heavy stench, noting that previous custody deaths went unnoticed because those involved were not high-profile suspects.
A relative of one victim, identified as Lafiagi, echoed these concerns, stating the conditions were unfit for animals and that suspects fell ill without receiving medical care. He shared that during a rare visit, his relative described the harsh living conditions, noting that night officers sometimes provided sachet water to pour over themselves to cope with the heat.
The situation escalated when NSCDC operatives brought the deceased to Minna General Hospital in two ambulances without prior notification. Hospital management refused to accept the bodies into the mortuary, leaving them on the floor before eventually releasing them to families. Seven additional victims were admitted to the hospital emergency unit in critical condition.
Displeased by the incident, grieving families and residents from Maitumbi, Tudun Natsira, Berger, and Tunga staged protests, blocking traffic at Flamingo Junction. Protesters stated the miners were arrested days earlier during patrol operations.
One surviving detainee, Dauda Shehu, speaking from his hospital bed, recounted the ordeal:
“Sixty-six of us were put in one cell. Six people are currently on admission. They did not torture us, but there was excessive heat. We complained that the cell was too small to accommodate all of us, but they did not listen to us. We watched our colleagues die, and even when we raised the alarm, they thought we were lying. We drank urine because we couldn’t access water due to heat. Some people died in the night while others died in the morning on Thursday.”
Families seeking their loved ones faced further hurdles. A father, Mallam Abdullahi, reported that officials demanded a massive sum to release his son:
“My son is not a criminal. He is into mining because there is no work to do. He supports the family with the mining. We took food to him last night. We went this morning to give him breakfast and found him dead. I saw his dead body.”
Another resident, Babawo Tudun-Natsira, confirmed that his 17-year-old brother, Salim, was among those who died.
Addressing the situation, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced Commandant Aniviye’s suspension through his media aide, Alao Babatunde. He explained that the arrests took place during enforcement actions on September 15 and 16, 2026, around the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis.
“It is an unfortunate incident, however, a full investigation will be conducted while the commandant under whose watch this happened remains suspended. We run a government whose ultimate priority is security of lives and we have worked to stay true to this,” the minister declared.
Tunji-Ojo urged the public to stay calm and offered condolences to Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago and the victims’ families.
While unofficial reports estimate the death toll at no fewer than 33, the NSCDC has not released an official count. NSCDC National Public Relations Officer Babawale Afolabi stated that a panel led by the Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation is investigating the arrest conditions, detention environment, and medical care provided, while warning against unverified assumptions regarding the cause of death.
