BREAKING: 37 miners died of suffocation in NSCDC custody

An independent investigative committee set up by the Federal Government has found that 37 persons who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State died from asphyxiation.

The committee Chairman and former Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, disclosed this on Tuesday while presenting the panel’s report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja.

The finding marks a major development in the investigation into the deaths of the 37 suspected illegal miners, who died on September 17, 2026, while in the custody of the NSCDC Niger State Command in Minna.

According to reports, the victims were among dozens of persons arrested during operations targeting suspected illegal mining activities in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State.

The committee was established by the Federal Government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths and establish what happened while the victims were in custody.

Asphyxiation, the condition of being deprived of sufficient oxygen, was identified by the panel as the cause of the deaths.

Kure presented the findings to Tunji-Ojo as part of efforts to address the circumstances surrounding the incident and establish accountability.