RismadarVoice Reporters
October 5, 2026
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Minna on a condolence visit following the deaths of 37 suspected artisanal miners while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Shettima was received on arrival by Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, Deputy Governor Yakubu Garba and other senior government and political officials.
The visit follows the September 17 deaths of 37 people who had been detained by the NSCDC after operations against suspected illegal mining activities in the state.
Shettima is expected to convey the condolences of President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Government to the Niger State Government and the families of the deceased.
The Federal Government has ordered an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths, with authorities pledging to establish what happened and hold accountable anyone found responsible.
The NSCDC initially said the detainees were found dead following a suspected disease outbreak. However, the precise cause of death has not been conclusively established, with medical and forensic investigations forming part of efforts to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Federal Government subsequently constituted a 10-member independent investigative committee and suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant alongside 20 other officers pending the outcome of investigations.
The committee was given access to relevant facilities and documents and empowered to obtain information from individuals and institutions considered necessary to establish the immediate and underlying circumstances of the deaths.
The NSCDC has pledged full cooperation with the investigation and said it would not shield any officer found culpable.
Separate investigations have also been initiated by other authorities, while the Niger State Government constituted a judicial commission of inquiry into the incident.
The deaths have generated widespread calls for transparency and accountability, particularly over the treatment and protection of people held in government custody.
Shettima’s visit comes as the families of the deceased await the outcome of the investigations and a definitive explanation of what caused the deaths.
