At least 37 suspected illegal miners die in custody in central Nigeria

At least 37 suspected illegal miners die in custody in central Nigeria Nigerian authorities launched an investigation Thursday after 37 suspected illegal miners died in a civil defence detention facility in central Niger state, with conflicting accounts blaming either a disease outbreak or overcrowding and poor ventilation. The governor of a central Nigerian state said 37 people suspected of being illegal miners died early Thursday while in the custody of the west African country's civil defence corps. Police earlier said they have launched an investigation into the deaths in Niger state, which the civil defence blamed on disease but an intelligence report suggested was due to overcrowding and poor ventilation instead. Niger state – which is more than twice the size of Belgium – is rich in minerals and attracts thousands of artisanal miners, most of them lured by the hope of striking gold. "This morning we woke up to the news that about 37 persons died in the custody of the civil defence here in Minna," Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago told reporters at a news conference in the state capital broadcast by Nigeria's TVC News television. "It's so sad, it's so tragic," he said, adding that a committee of inquiry into the deaths had been set up and had already started work. The governor declared three days of mourning and postponed the start of campaigning for elections due in January. The mass deaths reportedly triggered protests by "groups of miners and sympathisers" in Minna, where cars and other belongings were damaged, according to the intelligence report seen by AFP. Those who died were in the care of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), which partners with the police to protect lives, critical national assets and infrastructure. A 40-second video shared online showed bodies of dozens of young men clad only in shorts, most of whom appeared to be teenagers, sprawling on the ground out in the open. Volunteers wearing gloves are seen standing over them, while veiled women try to identify the bodies of their relatives. Voices shouting curses on those responsible can be heard in the background. 'Overcrowding and inadequate ventilation' Following the discovery, the Niger state police chief "ordered the immediate commencement of investigation into the unfortunate death of suspected illegal miners while in the detention facility of the NSCDC", police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun said in a statement. The civil defence said it had rounded up "scores of suspected illegal miners" on Tuesday and Wednesday, "However, in the early hours of 17th September, 2026, scores of the detained suspects were found dead, following a suspected outbreak of disease." But according to the intelligence report, "preliminary information suggests the fatalities may have resulted from overcrowding and inadequate ventilation within a detention facility". The scramble for gold reserves dug up in illegal mines in Niger state is also fuelling violence by criminal gangs, known locally as bandits, according to officials and experts. The gangs tax the miners and demand a cut from the extracted ore as a levy to allow them access to the pits. Most of the illegally mined gold is smuggled out to the United Arab Emirates, from where it is laundered into the global supply chain in Europe, the United States, Asia and South Africa, according to a 2024 SwissAid report. Apart from gold, Niger State sits on deposits of other valuable minerals including tantalite, copper and lithium, in strong demand for use in electric vehicles and clean energy technology. (FRANCE 24 with AFP)