Tinubu Orders Full Probe, Prosecution Of Officials Linked To Deaths Of 37 Miners In NSCDC Custody

• President Bola Tinubu has ordered a full 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 (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.

• The President directed investigators to establish how the victims were arrested, their condition when they were taken into custody, the number of detainees held in the facility, the conditions of detention, medical attention provided and the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

• Tinubu said any official found to have contributed to the deaths through abuse, negligence, dereliction of duty or other unlawful conduct must be arrested and prosecuted, stressing that suspicion of illegal mining does not deprive detainees of their right to life and humane treatment.

• The deaths have triggered investigations by security authorities and the Niger State Government, amid conflicting accounts over the cause, while the suspension of the NSCDC commandant in the state has further heightened demands for accountability.

September 18, () – President Bola  Tinubu has ordered a full 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 (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, directing that any official found culpable be arrested and prosecuted.

The President’s directive followed the deaths of the detainees who were arrested during NSCDC enforcement operations against illegal mining activities around the Lt. Gen. Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate and other areas of Minna on September 15 and 16, 2026.

Tinubu, in a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described the reported deaths as a grave matter requiring urgent investigation and accountability.

He directed that the investigation should establish the circumstances surrounding the arrests, the condition of the detainees when they were taken into custody, the number of people held at the facility, the conditions under which they were detained, the medical attention provided to them and the events that preceded their deaths.

The President further directed that the investigation should determine whether any act of negligence, abuse or dereliction of duty by public officials contributed to the deaths.

He made it clear that where the investigation establishes culpability, the affected official must face arrest and prosecution in accordance with the law.

Tinubu said the fact that the deceased were suspected of engaging in illegal mining did not strip them of their fundamental rights or justify any form of inhumane treatment while in government custody.

“The life of every Nigerian matters. No citizen should lose their life in government custody due to negligence, abuse, inhumane treatment or dereliction of duty”, he declared.

The President added that while his administration would continue its campaign against illegal mining and other criminal activities across the country, security and law-enforcement agencies must carry out their duties within the law and respect the dignity and fundamental rights of people placed in their custody.

37 Detainees Die

The 37 victims were among scores of people arrested by the Niger State Command of the NSCDC during operations targeting suspected illegal mining activities.

The NSCDC initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak and said the corpses had been deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination to establish the actual cause of death.

However, accounts emerging from survivors and other reports have raised questions about the conditions in which the detainees were held, with allegations of overcrowding and poor ventilation in the detention facility.

The competing accounts have made the President’s directive for a comprehensive investigation particularly significant, as authorities are expected to establish the scientific and factual circumstances surrounding the deaths rather than rely on preliminary explanations.

Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has also confirmed the deaths and constituted a committee of inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. The state government said forensic and medical examinations, including autopsies, were being conducted to establish the cause of death.

The development has also led to the suspension of Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, the NSCDC Commandant in Niger State, pending the outcome of investigations.

The suspension was announced by the Interior Ministry following the deaths of the detainees, with the ministry saying the commandant remained suspended while the circumstances of the incident were investigated.

The NSCDC had separately constituted a high-powered investigative team headed by its Deputy Commandant-General in charge of intelligence and investigation to examine the circumstances leading to the deaths.

The team was mandated to investigate the condition of the suspects when they were arrested, their period in custody, the detention conditions, medical attention provided and other circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Nigeria Police Force has also commenced investigations, with Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu visiting Niger State and pledging that the circumstances surrounding the deaths would be thoroughly investigated.