Story perspectives

Detainees Suffocate in Overcrowded NSCDC Cell, Survivor Claims

By Drooid · Sep 18, 2026, 6:00 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

NSCDC reported 37 suspected illegal miners died while in custody in Niger State.
Survivor Dauda Shehu said about 65 detainees were jam-packed in a poorly ventilated cell, suggesting suffocation.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago declared three days of mourning and postponed election campaigning on September 17.
Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo suspended NSCDC commandant Suberu Siyaka Aniviye pending investigation.
Protests in Minna led police to fire tear gas and impose a 24-hour curfew.

History

Historical Context

In 2003, Nigeria established the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) after President Olusegun Obasanjo’s 1999 democratic transition to address internal security. The corps, staffed by 30,000 personnel and allocated a ?15 billion budget that year, immediately took charge of regulating illegal mining in Niger State. The 2024 death of 37 suspected illegal miners in a cramped NSCDC cell echoes the 2005 Zamfara crackdown, where similar detentions sparked public outcry. Repeated custodial fatalities now pressure the federal government to boost oversight and funding, aiming to prevent future deaths and restore public trust.

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Story summary

NSCDC reported 37 suspected illegal miners died while in custody in Niger State.
Survivor Dauda Shehu said about 65 detainees were jam-packed in a poorly ventilated cell, suggesting suffocation.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago declared three days of mourning and postponed election campaigning on September 17.
Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo suspended NSCDC commandant Suberu Siyaka Aniviye pending investigation.
Protests in Minna led police to fire tear gas and impose a 24-hour curfew.

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