By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. | adeyemi@ddnewsonline.com
Editor, DDNews |
Minna, Niger State – September 21, 2026
DDNewsOnline
The International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) has officially released the names of the 37 suspected illegal miners who died while detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.
The victims were part of a larger group of suspects arrested during major security raids on September 15 and 16. The NSCDC conducted the operations around the Lt Gen Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna, the state capital.
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Awaisu Giwa, an international peace ambassador for the IHRC, confirmed that the organisation obtained the initial victim list directly from mortuary records at the Minna General Hospital.
The hospital’s Chief Medical Director personally authorised the release of the names. Four additional victims were later identified when relatives approached the commission’s office to report missing family members.
Among the deceased identified on the list are Ibrahim Sani, Fahad Sa’adu, Abdulsalam Ismail, Usman Aliyu, and Abubakar Alhaji, alongside 32 others.
Survivors Allege Foul Play
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The NSCDC initially blamed the mass deaths on a sudden “suspected disease outbreak” inside the holding facility. However, accounts from survivors heavily contradict this official narrative.
Survivors claim that up to 65 detainees were crammed into a single, poorly ventilated cell. An 11-year-old survivor, identified as Sanusi, alleged that shortly after they were locked inside, an NSCDC officer opened the door and sprayed an unknown canister into the crowded room. He reported that several detainees collapsed and died within hours as panic erupted.
Another survivor, Dauda Shehu, stated that the men scrambled frantically for fresh air but could not breathe in the suffocating heat. They repeatedly banged on the cell doors to get the guards’ attention, to no avail.
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Government Response
The tragedy sparked immediate outrage, leading to rapid government intervention. Authorities have now arrested and paraded 24 NSCDC personnel in connection with the incident.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordered the immediate suspension of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, pending a full investigation.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago described the incident as a tragedy and declared three days of statewide mourning. The governor set up a committee of inquiry and promised a thorough investigation to uncover the exact cause of the deaths.
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State police have also deployed forensic teams and cordoned off the NSCDC detention facility as the criminal probe deepens.
NSCDC Commandant-General, Prof. Ahmed Audi, had earlier constituted a high-powered investigative team led by the Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation. The remains remain at the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination.
The release of the victims’ names by the IHRC and the allegations from survivors have intensified public pressure for a transparent and independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
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Authorities have maintained that anyone found responsible will face appropriate action once the probes are concluded.
By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. (Beedee)
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