By Oluwakemi Kindness
A Federal Government investigative committee has found that 37 suspected illegal miners suffocated while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.
The committee chairman and former Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, disclosed the finding on Tuesday while presenting the panel’s report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja.
Kure said the committee recommended ₦1.4 billion in compensation for the families of 33 victims and 44 survivors of the incident.
He described the deaths as avoidable, noting that the victims, including 14 minors, were held in inhuman conditions.
The committee also recommended the summary dismissal of the Niger State NSCDC commandant and other officers directly involved in the detention of the victims and their eventual deaths.
Receiving the report, Tunji-Ojo promised to implement the recommendations to ensure justice for those affected.
The minister also directed the immediate suspension of officers accused of cleaning up the detention centre to destroy evidence.
The victims died on September 17, 2026, while in NSCDC custody in Minna. They were among dozens of people arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State.
The committee also recommended institutional reforms to strengthen the leadership and operations of the NSCDC.
