Pandemonium broke out in parts of Minna, the Niger State capital, on Thursday after relatives of detained artisanal miners took to the streets following reports that several of them had died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The protest paralysed movement and disrupted commercial activities around Maitumbi, Tudun Natsira, Berger and parts of Tunga, as angry residents blocked major roads and demanded explanations over the reported deaths.
The protesters, many of them parents and relatives of the detained miners, accused the NSCDC of failing to account for what happened to their loved ones after their arrest at mining sites across the state.
The families said they were informed that some of the miners had died in detention barely two days after their arrest, but that no satisfactory explanation had been provided for the deaths.
Some protesters alleged that as many as 34 people might have died in custody. The figure, however, could not be independently verified as of the time of filing this report.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of heightened tension between security personnel and artisanal miners in the state.
A Civil Defence officer was reportedly shot dead by some artisanal miners about two weeks ago when personnel attempted to arrest miners at a mining site. Following the incident, the NSCDC intensified operations against illegal mining activities in and around Minna.
Confirming that deaths had occurred, the Niger State NSCDC Command said the detained suspects were found dead following a suspected outbreak of disease.
In a statement issued in Minna by the State Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, the command said the deaths occurred in the early hours of Thursday, September 17, 2026.
The NSCDC did not disclose the exact number of detainees who died.
It said the deaths occurred after an operation conducted as part of renewed efforts to rid the state of illegal mining activities.
According to the command, the operation resulted in the arrest of scores of suspected illegal miners and the recovery of various exhibits.
“However, in the early hours of 17th September, 2026, scores of the detained suspects were found dead, following a suspected outbreak of disease,” the statement said.
The command added that the bodies had been deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for further medical examination to determine the actual cause of death.
The statement did not clarify whether the suspected disease broke out among the detainees after their arrest or whether any of the victims had contracted the illness before they were taken into custody.
The NSCDC said it was working with sister security agencies to manage the situation and appealed to residents and families of the deceased to remain calm.
It also urged the protesters to desist from actions capable of causing a breakdown of law and order.
The command said it remained committed to protecting lives and property and enforcing human rights while carrying out its statutory responsibility to combat illegal mining and protect critical national assets.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths, including the actual number of victims and the medical cause, are expected to become clearer after the medical examination of the bodies.
