37 Suspected Illegal Goldminers, Including Children, Die in Nigerian Custody Amid Protests
Thirty-seven suspected illegal goldminers, many of them children, died in custody at a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps facility in Minna. While the NSCDC initially cited a disease outbreak, survivors and intelligence reports point to severe overcrowding and lack of ventilation. The incident has sparked protests and led to the suspension of senior officials.
Thirty-seven suspected illegal goldminers have died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, the capital of Niger State. Among the victims were many children aged between 14 and 18 who had been working in mines instead of attending school.
The bodies were discovered on Thursday in the cells of the NSCDC facility. State Governor Umar Bago confirmed the death toll at 37, describing the situation as tragic. The detainees had been held following raids on suspected illegal mines in the Wushishi-Lukoto area conducted on September 15 and 16.
Initial statements from the NSCDC attributed the deaths to a disease outbreak. However, this claim was contradicted by an intelligence report seen by Agence France-Presse (AFP), which suggested that overcrowding and inadequate ventilation were responsible for the fatalities. Survivor Dauda Shehu reported that detainees were "jam-packed" with no ventilation and banged on cell doors for help, but guards refused to answer.
Following the discovery of the bodies, protests erupted in Minna. On Friday, police fired teargas at protesters and imposed an overnight curfew starting at 6pm local time. Security forces temporarily restored order, though reports indicated the use of live rounds during the unrest.
In response to the crisis, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered an investigation into the deaths. Additionally, Nigeria’s interior minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordered the immediate suspension of Niger state’s NSCDC commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, pending the results of the inquiry.
