NSCDC investigates deaths of suspected illegal miners in Niger State

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has started looking into the deaths of some suspected illegal miners. They were arrested during enforcement actions in Niger State.

These arrests happened during operations by the corps' Niger State Command in the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto area on September 15 and 16, 2026. This was part of efforts to stop illegal mining in the state.

Reports say that at least 33 suspected illegal miners might have died while being held at an NSCDC facility in Minna, the state capital.

The deaths were found out early Thursday morning. Suberu Aniviye, the Niger State Commandant, suggested that a possible disease outbreak caused the deaths.

But the NSCDC National Headquarters said the cause of the deaths is still unknown. They highlighted that claims linking the deaths to a particular disease need medical and laboratory checks.

On Thursday, Babawale Afolabi, the Corps’ National Public Relations Officer, said Commandant-General Ahmed Audi ordered a strong investigative team to find out what happened.

Afolabi mentioned that this team will be led by the Deputy Commandant General responsible for Intelligence and Investigation.

The team must look into what led to the deaths. They will check the condition of the suspects when they were arrested, how long they were held, the conditions in detention, medical care given, and other important details.

The statement said, “NSCDC has confirmed the death of some suspected illegal miners who were arrested during enforcement operations conducted in parts of Niger State on September 15 and 16, 2026.

“Following this, the Commandant General, Abubakar Audi, has set up a strong investigative team, led by the Deputy Commandant General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation, to look into the details surrounding the incident.

“This team has been given the task to conduct a thorough investigation into what led to the deaths, including the conditions of the suspects at arrest, their time in custody, the detention conditions, medical attention received, and other important details surrounding the incident.”

Audi also instructed that the health and well-being of all individuals currently in custody should be prioritized. He emphasized that steps must be taken to protect staff who may have interacted with the affected individuals.

The Corps expressed sympathy to the families of those who died. They assured families that they would investigate the matter thoroughly and deal with it based on facts.

“The NSCDC wants to clarify that reports linking the deaths to any specific disease are still subject to medical and laboratory checks. Therefore, the Corps will not speculate until the medical examination results are out.

“The Corps sends its condolences to the families of the deceased and assures them that the circumstances surrounding the incident will be thoroughly investigated and properly addressed based on established facts,” Afolabi stated.