The Federal Government’s Independent Investigative Committee has concluded that the 37 suspected illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State suffocated to death due to asphyxiation.
The incident occurred on September 17, 2026, after the victims were apprehended during an anti-mining operation across the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of the state.
The committee’s Chairman, Jonathan Kure, a former Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), presented the detailed findings to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja on Tuesday.
Kure confirmed that the victims, which notably included 14 minors, were held in grossly inhuman conditions, rendering their deaths entirely avoidable.
Following these findings, the investigative panel recommended the dismissal of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, alongside all officers involved in the illegal detention and subsequent fatalities.
The committee also recommended the payment of ₦1.4 billion as compensation to the families of 33 deceased victims and the 44 known survivors.
Kure advised the Federal Government to execute institutional reforms within the NSCDC to strengthen its leadership and operational accountability.
Receiving the report, the Minister of Interior reiterated his commitment to ensuring justice for all affected families and assured the public that the government would implement the recommendations of the panel.
Tunji-Ojo ordered the NSCDC leadership to suspend all personnel involved in cleaning the detention facility in an attempt to destroy evidence as investigations remain ongoing.
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