FRESH facts and allegations have emerged over the deaths of suspected illegal miners who reportedly died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State, as the Federal Government has ordered the immediate suspension of the state NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, and directed a full investigation into the incident.
News Point Nigeria reports that a source at the NSCDC Niger State office, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the miners died as a result of poor hygiene, suffocation and extreme heat arising from overcrowding and inadequate ventilation in the cells where they were detained.
According to the source, the cells could only accommodate between three and five suspects humanely because of the lack of ventilation and excessive heat, but more than 15 people were allegedly crammed into the cells, with some reportedly forced to lie on top of one another at night.
The source further alleged that the cells were filled with a heavy stench of urine and faeces due to the lack of proper restroom breaks for the detainees.
He also alleged that the deaths were not the first time suspects had died in such custody, claiming that the latest incident only attracted public attention because those involved were not considered “big criminals” and because of the number of deaths.
Another family member of one of the deceased, who simply identified himself as Lafiagi, said the miners were kept in a place that was not conducive for animals, let alone human beings.
According to him, the heat, stench and dirt in the cells were enough to kill any human being within hours.
He alleged that the suspects fell sick shortly after their detention due to the heat and poor hygiene in the cells but were not allowed access to medical care, including his relative.
He said that during one of the rare visits he was allowed to make to see his relative, the suspect told him about the poor living conditions, adding that some night-duty officers sometimes helped by giving the detainees sachet water and sprinkling some of it on them when the heat became unbearable.
The relative called on the government to investigate the deaths of the miners and bring those found responsible to book.
It was gathered that the management of Minna General Hospital did not allow the bodies to be deposited at the hospital mortuary.
A staff member of the hospital told our correspondent that the management was not officially informed before the bodies were brought from the Minna Command headquarters of the NSCDC in two ambulances.
He said seven other victims were admitted to the hospital’s emergency unit because of the severity of their condition.
Parents and relatives of the deceased, who gathered at the mortuary to collect the bodies of their loved ones, could not hold back their tears.
The bodies were reportedly laid on the floor of the mortuary.
The incident triggered a protest by residents of Maitumbi, Tudun Natsira, Berger and parts of Tunga in Minna.
The protesters blocked the road at Flamingo Junction, Maitumbi, disrupting traffic in the area.
Some of the protesters alleged that personnel of an NSCDC patrol team arrested several miners about two days earlier and took them into custody.
They said they were later informed that some of those arrested had died while in detention.
One of the suspects who spoke from his hospital bed, Dauda Shehu, alleged that the victims died due to excessive heat and overcrowding.
“Sixty-six of us were put in one cell. Six people are currently on admission. They did not torture us, but there was excessive heat.
“We complained that the cell was too small to accommodate all of us, but they did not listen to us. We watched our colleagues die, and even when we raised the alarm, they thought we were lying.
“We drank urine because we couldn’t access water due to heat. Some people died in the night while others died in the morning on Thursday,” he said.
Meanwhile, some of the bodies have been released to the families of the deceased, who thronged the Minna General Hospital in search of their loved ones.
It was gathered that NSCDC operatives who took the bodies to the hospital mortuary initially refused to release them to the families.
However, the bodies were later handed over to the families after the hospital management declined to accept them.
A bereaved father, Mallam Abdullahi, said he had gone to the Civil Defence headquarters in Minna to plead for the release of his son but was asked to pay N500,000 for bail.
“My son is not a criminal. He is into mining because there is no work to do. He supports the family with the mining.
“We took food to him last night. We went this morning to give him breakfast and found him dead. I saw his dead body,” he said.
Another resident, Babawo Tudun-Natsira, said his 17-year-old younger brother, Salim, was among those who died.
Amid the allegations and growing public concern, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordered the immediate suspension of the Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Suberu Aniviye, following the deaths of the suspected illegal miners in the state.
The minister also ordered a full investigation into the incident, which reportedly occurred at the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis of Minna, the state capital, in the early hours of Thursday.
The development was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Alao Babatunde.
According to the statement, the suspected illegal miners were arrested during enforcement operations conducted in parts of Niger State on September 15 and 16, 2026.
“It is an unfortunate incident, however, a full investigation will be conducted while the commandant under whose watch this happened remains suspended.
“We run a government whose ultimate priority is security of lives and we have worked to stay true to this,” the minister declared.
Tunji-Ojo urged members of the public to remain calm and law-abiding to allow for a transparent investigation.
He also commiserated with the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, and the families and relatives of the deceased.
Reports had put the number of suspected illegal miners who died in custody at no fewer than 33, while the NSCDC did not give a specific figure.
The deaths had earlier prompted the NSCDC to constitute an investigative team to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
In a statement on Thursday, the NSCDC National Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, said the team, led by the Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation, was mandated to conduct a comprehensive inquiry.
The investigation was to cover the condition of the suspects upon arrest, their period in custody, the conditions of detention, medical attention provided to them and other circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The NSCDC had also cautioned against speculation over the cause of the deaths, saying reports attributing them to any specific disease remained subject to medical and laboratory confirmation.