A Federal Government investigative panel has concluded that 37 suspected illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State were victims of asphyxiation.
The chairman of the Independent Investigative Committee and former Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, disclosed the findings on Tuesday while submitting the panel’s report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja.
Kure said the committee recommended compensation totalling N1.4bn for the families of 33 victims and 44 survivors affected by the incident.
He described the deaths as preventable, citing the inhumane conditions under which the detainees were held. Fourteen of the deceased were reportedly minors.
The panel also recommended the immediate dismissal of the Niger State Commandant of the NSCDC and other officers found to have been directly involved in the detention of the miners and the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
Beyond individual sanctions, the committee called for institutional reforms within the corps to strengthen leadership and prevent a recurrence of similar incidents.
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Receiving the report, Tunji-Ojo pledged that the Federal Government would implement the recommendations to ensure justice for the victims and other affected persons.
The minister also directed the NSCDC commandant to immediately suspend officers alleged to have cleaned up the detention facility in an attempt to destroy evidence, according to the report.
The findings mark a significant development in the investigation into the deaths of the suspected illegal miners, who reportedly died on September 17, 2026, while being held by the NSCDC Niger State Command in Minna.
The victims were among dozens of people arrested during operations targeting suspected illegal mining activities in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State.