A survivor of the incident in which 37 suspected illegal gold miners died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State has alleged that an unidentified substance was sprayed inside the overcrowded cell shortly before the detainees began struggling to breathe.
The survivor said 17 detainees were initially locked inside a small room before more people were brought in, despite complaints about the cramped space and intense heat.
“They locked us in a very small room. We were 17 in number, then they added more people, and we started complaining that the room was small,” he said.
According to him, the situation deteriorated after the detainees were ordered to stand as the room was about to be locked. He alleged that an unidentified substance, which appeared to him like perfume, was then sprayed inside the cell.
“As they were about to lock the room, they sprayed something that looked like perfume, and the smell started disturbing everyone in the room,” he said.
The survivor said the heat inside the cell became unbearable, with detainees subsequently collapsing. He added that they pleaded for water but were allegedly told that nobody would open the door.
“We pleaded with them to give us water, but they said no one would open the door for us,” he said.
Another survivor, who asked not to be identified, said he survived because he was positioned close to the entrance of the cell, where he was able to get more air.
“We were screaming for help,” he said, adding that guards were informed that “people are dying one after the other”, but allegedly did not believe the detainees.
The deaths have sparked anger and protests in Minna, the Niger State capital, with reports that police fired shots to disperse demonstrators. It was unclear whether anti-riot ammunition or live rounds were used as protesters blocked a major road and attacked a transport depot.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a full and transparent investigation into the deaths of the suspected illegal miners detained by the NSCDC following enforcement operations around Lt. Gen. Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna.
Tinubu said every Nigerian life matters and that no citizen should die in government custody because of negligence, abuse, inhumane treatment or dereliction of duty.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, also suspended the NSCDC state commander, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, pending investigation into the incident.
“A full investigation will be conducted while the commandant under whose watch this happened remains suspended,” Tunji-Ojo said.
An intelligence report cited by AFP suggested that the 37 detainees died amid overcrowding and poor ventilation at the detention facility, although the civil defence authorities initially attributed the deaths to disease.
The incident has intensified scrutiny of the conditions under which the suspected miners were detained, particularly following survivors’ accounts of overcrowding, extreme heat and difficulty breathing.
Niger State is rich in mineral resources and attracts thousands of artisanal miners, many of whom engage in informal or illegal mining in search of gold.
Experts have also linked the scramble for gold deposits in parts of the state to insecurity, with criminal groups reportedly taxing miners and demanding levies in exchange for access to mining sites.
Following the unrest, Niger State Governor Umaru Bago announced a nighttime curfew in Minna as authorities moved to contain the protests.
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Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
