The names of 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State have been released.
The victims were among scores of people arrested during anti-illegal mining operations conducted by the NSCDC around the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Minna on September 15 and 16, 2026. They were subsequently detained at an NSCDC facility in the state capital. (TheCable)
The deaths were initially attributed by the NSCDC to a suspected disease outbreak. However, the circumstances surrounding the incident have generated widespread concern, with survivors and other reports raising questions about the conditions in which the detainees were held. The Federal Government has since ordered an investigation into the incident. (Reuters)
The NSCDC has also taken several of its personnel into custody as investigations continue. The Niger State commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, was suspended, while authorities work to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths. (TheStar)
The International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) said it obtained the names from records at the General Hospital in Minna, with four additional names reportedly supplied by relatives whose family members were not initially reflected in the hospital records. (Tribune Online)
The 37 deceased persons were identified as:
- Ibrahim Sani
- Fahad Sa’adu
- Abdulsalam Ismail
- Usman Aliyu
- Abubakar Alhaji
- Sani Nasir
- Sanusi Khalid
- Ahmad Aliyu
- Safiyanu Abdullahi
- Suleiman Dantala
- Idris Haruna
- Sani Yakubu
- Safiyanu Abubakar
- Abdullahi Abubakar
- Abubakar Musa
- Abdul Mudassir
- Suleiman Lawal
- Usman Abdullahi
- Samuel Sambo
- Ibrahim Musa
- Yusuf Nasiru
- Umar Lawal
- Isyaku Amisu
- Bissallah Adamu
- Abdulbari Suleiman
- Shafisu Lado
- Usman Ahmad
- Usman Ibrahim
- Sani Isyaku
- Musa Ibrahim
- Idris Bashir
- Kabiru Suleiman
- Emmanuel Emeka
- Mu’awiya AbdulKarim
- Abdul Gafar Abubakar
- Usman Haruna
- Aro Salihu Soba
According to the report, Mu’awiya AbdulKarim, Abdul Gafar Abubakar, Usman Haruna and Aro Salihu Soba were not included in the initial General Hospital list but were later identified through relatives. (Tribune Online)
The cause of the deaths has not been conclusively established, and investigations are expected to determine what happened to the detainees and whether any officials should be held responsible. President Bola Tinubu has ordered a probe into the incident, while human rights groups and families of the deceased have called for transparency and accountability. (Reuters)