The Federation of Nigerian Mining Host Communities in Nigeria (FNMHC) has expressed deep concerns over the Death of 37 Miners in NSCDC Custody in Minna, Niger State concern over the deaths of 37 persons in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, following their arrest during enforcement operations against suspected illegal miners.
In a press statement signed and issued by the Association, “The victims were reportedly arrested on 15th and 16th September 2026 around the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis of Minna and were subsequently detained at an NSCDC facility. Their deaths were discovered in the early hours of 17th September.”
“We are appalled that the NSCDC, without conducting any investigation, had attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak. We however appreciate the Corps’ national headquarters’ subsequent acknowledgment that the cause of death has not been established and has constituted an investigative team to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the condition of the detainees at the time of arrest, the conditions of their detention, the medical attention provided to them and other relevant circumstances. The Niger State Police Command has also commenced an investigation. We applaud the Federal Government’s suspension of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, pending the outcome of a full investigation.”
While these steps are necessary, 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 answer to unsafe and unregulated mining cannot be enforcement alone. Nigeria must address the conditions that allow dangerous and informal mining to persist, while ensuring that mining operations, whether formal or informal, are subject to effective safety, environmental and human rights protections.
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.
We are particularly concerned by reports that some of the deceased were minors. We are also concerned by allegations from relatives of detainees that they were prevented from providing food to persons in detention and that officials demanded N100,000 to release each detainee. These allegations are grave and should form part of the investigation. They raise serious questions about the treatment of detainees, systemic extortion, and the exercise of custodial authority.
We are further concerned by evidence of the use of force by security personnel during protests in Minna following the deaths, including reports that live ammunition was used against protesters. The right to protest is a constitutionally guaranteed right. The use of force only added salt to the injury that these vulnerable communities had suffered. The inordinate use of force must be investigated and assessed against applicable laws and standards.
We therefore call for:
An independent investigation and full forensic determination of the cause and manner of death: The authorities must preserve and examine all available evidence capable of establishing what occurred from the time of the victims’ arrest to the discovery of their bodies, including the circumstances and conditions of their detention.
Accountability at every level of responsibility: The suspension of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant was a critical first step pending the outcome of the investigation, but it should not preclude further accountability where wrongdoing is established.
Investigation of allegations of extortion and denial of basic necessities: The allegations that relatives were prevented from supplying food to detainees and that money was demanded for their release must be investigated independently.
An independent inquiry into the response to the protests: The government must establish the circumstances surrounding the deployment and use of force against protesters, including the reported use of live ammunition, and determine whether the response complied with applicable laws and standards governing policing and public assemblies.
Access to justice and effective remedies for the families: The families of the deceased are entitled to clear information about what happened to their relatives, access to relevant investigative findings, and appropriate remedies where violations are established.
Protection of evidence and witnesses: No person with information relevant to the incident should be intimidated, threatened, or prevented from cooperating with investigations. The government must ensure that witnesses, surviving detainees, relatives, and community members can provide information safely.
We acknowledge the declaration of three days of mourning by the Niger State Government and the steps announced by federal and state authorities. However, 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.
We call on the Federal Government, the Niger State Government, the NSCDC, the Nigeria Police Force and all other relevant authorities to ensure that this investigation is conducted with the independence, transparency and urgency that the scale of this tragedy requires.
The families of the deceased, the affected mining communities and the Nigerian public deserve nothing less than the truth.