The names of 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State have been released.
The victims were among scores of people arrested during enforcement operations against illegal mining in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of the state on September 15 and 16, 2026.
The deaths occurred on September 17, prompting investigations by the Federal Government and the NSCDC into the circumstances surrounding the incident. The government has also suspended officers linked to the operation and constituted an independent panel to investigate the arrests, detention conditions and cause of the deaths.
According to the list released by the authorities, the deceased are:
- Ibrahim Sani
- Fahad Sa’adu
- Abdulsalam Ismail
- Usman Aliyu
- Abubakar Alhaji
- Sani Nasir
- Sanusi Khalid
- Ahmad Aliyu
- Safiyanu Abdullahi
- Suleiman Dantala
- Idris Haruna
- Sani Yakubu
- Safiyanu Abubakar
- Abdullahi Abubakar
- Abubakar Musa
- Abdul Mudassir
- Suleiman Lawal
- Usman Abdullahi
- Samuel Sambo
- Ibrahim Musa
- Yusuf Nasiru
- Umar Lawal
- Isyaku Amisu
- Bissallah Adamu
- Abdulbari Suleiman
- Shafisu Lado
- Usman Ahmad
- Usman Ibrahim
- Sani Isyaku
- Musa Ibrahim
- Idris Bashir
- Kabiru Suleiman
- Emmanuel Emeka
- Mu’awiya AbdulKarim
- Abdul Gafar Abubakar
- Usman Haruna
- Aro Salihu Soba
Vanguard reported that four names — Mu’awiya AbdulKarim, Abdul Gafar Abubakar, Usman Haruna and Aro Salihu Soba — were not included on the General Hospital Minna list.
The NSCDC had initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, but the precise cause has not been established. The independent panel set up by the Federal Government has been given two weeks to investigate the incident and determine responsibility, including possible negligence or misconduct.
The development has generated protests and calls for accountability, with various groups urging authorities to establish exactly what happened to the detainees and ensure that the families of those who died receive appropriate information and justice where wrongdoing is established.
