Youths from Nigeria’s North-Central region have condemned the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, Niger State, demanding a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The North-Central Indigenous Youth Council, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Board of Trustees, Dr JM Abbah, described the deaths as unacceptable and called for an independent forensic investigation and prosecution of any officers found responsible.
The group’s statement was made available to journalists in Lafia, Nasarawa State, on Sunday, following the deaths of the detainees after they were arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16.
The youth council said the incident raised serious concerns about the treatment of people held in government custody, alleging that the deaths pointed to possible negligence, overcrowding and violations of custodial standards.
Abbah said the council received the report with “shock and outrage,” arguing that the circumstances required authorities to establish exactly what happened to the detainees from the time of their arrest until their deaths.
The council also criticised the initial explanation of a suspected disease outbreak, describing it as insensitive and calling for the cause of death to be established through an independent forensic process rather than speculation.
It consequently demanded comprehensive autopsies and the prosecution of any security personnel found culpable after the investigations.
The controversy followed the confirmation that 37 suspected illegal miners had died while in NSCDC custody. According to reports, 67 detainees had been held at the facility, while survivors and relatives raised concerns about overcrowding and ventilation. The exact cause of the deaths remains subject to investigation.
The Federal Government has already ordered a full investigation into the incident. President Bola Tinubu directed that any official whose actions, abuse, negligence or dereliction of duty is found to have contributed to the deaths should be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The Niger State Government has also ordered forensic examinations and autopsies, while a 10-member independent committee constituted by the Federal Government is investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, and other officers have been suspended pending the outcome of the investigations.
The North-Central youth council commended Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago for his response to the tragedy, including the establishment of a state committee of inquiry, the decision to conduct forensic examinations and the declaration of a three-day mourning period.
The group also praised the governor for cancelling an All Progressives Congress political rally scheduled to hold in Minna on Saturday, September 19, following the deaths and the protests that subsequently occurred in the state.
It further commended Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo for ordering the suspension of the Niger State NSCDC commandant and other officers connected with the incident, while urging the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, to treat illegal mining as a national security and economic concern.
The deaths have generated wider calls for accountability and reform of detention practices. The League of Northern Democrats, another North-Central-focused group, has similarly demanded an investigation covering the arrests, detention conditions, medical care and circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Meanwhile, authorities have urged Nigerians to allow the ongoing investigations to establish the facts. The cause of death has not yet been conclusively determined, and allegations concerning overcrowding, poor ventilation and mistreatment remain matters for investigators and forensic examinations to establish.
The North-Central youths said the deaths should not be allowed to become another unresolved tragedy, insisting that the investigation must identify those responsible and ensure accountability while also protecting the rights of people detained by state security agencies.
