The National President of the National Artisanal and Small Scale Mining Cooperative Society, Abdullahi Dantasidi, has called for a thorough investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, Niger State.
Dantasidi, who expressed concern over the incident, said the circumstances surrounding the deaths required urgent clarification, particularly because the victims died after being arrested during an operation targeting suspected illegal mining activities.
The miners were arrested during NSCDC operations conducted around the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Minna on September 15 and 16. According to the Niger State Government, 67 people were detained in an NSCDC cell before 37 of them were found dead on September 17.
The NSCDC initially linked the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak. However, the corps later clarified that the actual cause of death had not been established and would be determined through medical and laboratory examinations.
Dantasidi’s call adds to growing demands from groups and individuals for an independent investigation into what happened between the miners’ arrest and their deaths.
He reportedly expressed sympathy with the families of the deceased and said the incident should be investigated in a manner capable of establishing the facts and preventing a recurrence.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths have generated controversy, with different accounts emerging about the conditions in which the detainees were held. Governor Mohammed Bago said authorities were considering possible suffocation arising from overcrowding, while the NSCDC has maintained that the cause of death had not yet been conclusively established.
Reports indicated that 67 detainees had been held in the facility, raising questions about the capacity and conditions of the detention centre. The deaths have consequently triggered calls for scrutiny of the arrest process, detention conditions, access to food and water, medical attention and the overall treatment of the suspects.
The Federal Government has already constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the incident following President Bola Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive and transparent inquiry. The committee is expected to establish the identities of the deceased, examine the circumstances of their arrest and detention, determine the causes of death and identify any responsibility, negligence or misconduct where applicable.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has also deployed a team from his ministry to Niger State to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths and collaborate with other authorities conducting inquiries.
The incident has also attracted attention from human rights organisations and civil society groups. Amnesty International has called for an independent investigation, stressing the need to establish how the detention of the suspects resulted in the deaths, including those of minors.
For the artisanal mining sector, the tragedy has raised broader questions about the government’s approach to informal mining and the economic conditions that drive people into the activity.
Some miners who recently returned to the M.I. Wushishi site have said they have no alternative means of livelihood despite the risks associated with mining. Their accounts have highlighted the tension between government efforts to enforce mining regulations and the economic dependence of some communities on artisanal mining.
Dantasidi’s demand for a probe therefore comes at a time when authorities are facing pressure to establish what happened and ensure accountability where wrongdoing is established.
Until the ongoing investigations and medical examinations are concluded, the precise cause of the 37 deaths remains officially unresolved. The findings of the various inquiries are expected to determine the circumstances surrounding the fatalities and whether any individuals or institutions should be held responsible.
