The Federal Government’s Independent Investigative Committee probing the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State has found that the victims died from asphyxiation.
The chairman of the committee 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 findings mark a significant development in the investigation into the deaths of the 37 suspects, who reportedly died on September 17, 2026, while in the custody of the NSCDC Niger State Command in Minna.
The deceased were among several individuals 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 suspects were in the corps’ custody.
Further details of the panel’s findings and any recommendations contained in its report were not immediately available as of the time of filing this report.
