A Federal Government investigative committee has found that 37 suspected illegal miners died from asphyxiation while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State, recommending compensation for affected families and disciplinary action against officers implicated in the incident.
The committee chairman and former Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, disclosed the findings on Tuesday while presenting the panel’s report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja.
Kure said the committee recommended the payment of ₦1.4 billion to the families of 33 victims and 44 survivors.
According to the chairman, the deaths were avoidable, while the victims, including 14 minors, were held in what the panel described as inhuman conditions.
The committee recommended the summary dismissal of the Niger State NSCDC commandant and other officers found to have been directly involved in the detention of the miners and the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
It also called for institutional reforms within the corps to strengthen leadership and prevent a recurrence of similar incidents.
Receiving the report, Tunji-Ojo pledged that the Federal Government would implement the committee’s recommendations to ensure justice for those affected.
The minister also directed the NSCDC commandant to immediately suspend officers alleged to have cleaned up the detention centre in an attempt to destroy evidence, according to the report.
The findings relate to the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners on September 17, 2026, while they were being held by the NSCDC Niger State Command in Minna.
The victims were among dozens of people arrested during operations targeting suspected illegal mining activities in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of the state.
The incident prompted an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths and the conditions in which the detainees were held.
The committee’s findings now place responsibility for the next steps on the relevant authorities, including the implementation of its recommendations on compensation, disciplinary action and institutional reform.
The proposed compensation and sanctions remain recommendations contained in the panel’s report. Their implementation will depend on the actions taken by the Federal Government and the relevant agencies.
