RismadarVoice Reporters
September 19, 2026
Questions over the treatment and protection of detainees in government custody have intensified after Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago disclosed that unusual physical signs were observed on some of the 37 suspected illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in Minna.
Bago said some of the deceased were found with blood and a foam-like substance around their mouths, while marks described as burns were observed on some bodies.
The observations have not been medically established as evidence of what caused the deaths. Autopsies, laboratory tests and forensic examinations are expected to determine the cause and circumstances surrounding the incident.
Beyond establishing the medical cause, the deaths have placed renewed focus on the state’s duty to protect people deprived of their liberty, including suspects who have not been convicted of any offence.
The 37 victims were among 67 people detained on suspicion of illegal mining activities. Their status as suspects meant the allegations against them had not been judicially determined.
President Bola Tinubu, while ordering a full and transparent investigation, stressed that suspicion of involvement in illegal mining did not deprive the detainees of their rights to life, dignity and humane treatment while in government custody.
The investigation is expected to examine the circumstances of the arrests, the number of people detained, conditions inside the facility, access to medical attention and the sequence of events before the deaths.
Earlier concerns about overcrowding and ventilation have also formed part of the questions surrounding the incident, but authorities have not established either as the cause.
The NSCDC commandant in Niger State has been suspended pending investigation, while separate inquiries have been initiated to establish what happened and whether established procedures for the custody and welfare of detainees were followed.
With 37 people dying after being taken into state custody, the investigations are expected to address not only the immediate medical cause but also whether the detainees received the protection and humane treatment required while under government control.
Authorities have yet to announce a definitive cause of death or determine responsibility for the incident.
