By Jeffrey Agbo
Thirty-seven suspected illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, died of dehydration, according to an independent ministerial committee which investigated the case.
In the Executive Summary by the chairman of the committee, Jonathan Kure, on Tuesday in Abuja, when he presented the report to the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the committee cited the causes of death to include “overcrowding, unsuitable detention conditions, failure of duty of care, inadequate supervision”.
The committee added that “fatalities resulted from environmental asphyxia caused by prolonged confinement in a severely overcrowded cell aggravated by heat stress and dehydration”.
According to the committee, the operation which led to the arrest of the suspects was without an “operational order” or approval from the national headquarters of the NSCDC.
Kure said the deaths were “entirely preventable”, adding that the committee recommended summary dismissal of personnel whose actions directly caused the deaths of the suspects.
The committee recommended administrative sanctions for personnel who failed in their duties but whose actions or inactions were not directly responsible for the deaths.
The committee also recommended compensation amounting to N1. 4 billion to the victims’ families.
The 37 detainees were found dead on the morning of September 17, 2026, after being arrested on September 15 and 16 during anti-illegal mining operations in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas. Reports indicated roughly 65 to 67 people were packed into a single cell.
The NSCDC initially suggested that a diphtheria or disease outbreak caused the deaths.
 in Minna, Niger State, died of dehydration, according to an independent ministerial committee which investigated the case.){kind=link}