Panel Discloses Cause of Death of 37 Miners Who Died in NSCDC Custody in Minna
- A federal government committee presented its findings on the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners held by the NSCDC in Minna, Niger State
- The committee chairman said preliminary findings revealed institutional gaps and overzealousness among some NSCDC officers involved in the arrests
- The panel conducted autopsies, inspected the custody facility, and gathered forensic evidence and witness statements before reaching its conclusions
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Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
A federal government investigative panel has determined that 37 suspected illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, were killed by asphyxiation, a condition in which the body is starved of sufficient oxygen, causing unconsciousness, organ failure or death.
Jonathan Kure, the committee's chairman, delivered the panel's report to Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo in Abuja on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
Source: Facebook
Legit.ng reports that Tunji-Ojo suspended the Niger State NSCDC commandant and ordered a full investigation into the incident.
How the panel reached its findings
The ten-member independent committee told the minister that its members travelled to Minna, where they inspected the detention facility, carried out autopsies, and collected forensic and documentary evidence.
As reported by TheCable, the investigators also gathered witness statements from NSCDC personnel, survivors, and family members of those who died.
Kure said preliminary findings pointed to institutional gaps within the NSCDC and overzealous conduct by some officers, adding that greater professionalism was required when handling cases of this nature.
Timeline of events leading to the investigation
The NSCDC arrested the suspects during operations conducted on September 15 and 16 around Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna.
Niger State NSCDC Commandant Suberu Aniviye later said in a statement that "scores of the detained suspects were found dead in the early hours of Thursday following a suspected outbreak of disease."
The federal government responded by suspending the Niger State commandant and ordering a thorough inquiry into the circumstances of the deaths.
President Bola Tinubu had directed that the probe be "full and transparent," following which the committee was constituted on September 19.
Tunji-Ojo had separately released the names of 21 NSCDC officers suspended in connection with the incident.
The committee originally requested a two-week extension on October 6 before it was able to submit its final report.
Source: Twitter
Panel probes deaths of 37 Niger miners
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the National Association of Nigerian Youth in Development praised NSCDC Commandant-General Ahmed Abubakar Audi for his handling of the Minna miners' tragedy.
NANYD called out opposition parties and social media commentators for allegedly using the deaths of 37 miners to score political points against the Corps.
A 10-member independent panel chaired by a retired DSS chief is investigating the cause and circumstances of the miners' deaths in Niger State.
Source: Legit.ng
