Names of 37 miners who died inside NSCDC custody emerge

The identities of the 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger state have been released, days after their deaths triggered public outrage, protests and calls for an independent investigation into what happened inside the detention facility.

The victims were among suspects arrested during anti-illegal mining operations conducted around the Lt. Gen. Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate and Lukoto areas of Minna, the Niger state capital, on September 15 and 16, 2026.

The NSCDC had initially said that some of the detained suspects were found dead in the early hours of September 17 following what it described at the time as a suspected outbreak of disease. Blueprint reports

The list of names was released by the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC).

Awaisu Giwa, the organisation’s international peace ambassador, said the initial list was obtained from records at General Hospital, Minna, while relatives of some of the deceased subsequently provided four additional names.

The identities are being made public as the Federal Government and the NSCDC investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Full list of the deceased

The 37 names released 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
Yaro Salihu Soba.

According to the information accompanying the list, Mu’awiya AbdulKarim, Abdul Gafar Abubakar, Usman Haruna and Yaro Salihu Soba were not included in the general hospital list and were added through information supplied by relatives. The distinction is important because the identities are still being formally reconciled as part of the investigation into the incident.

Arrests preceded deaths in detention

The deaths followed an NSCDC operation targeting suspected illegal mining activities in and around Minna. The corps said its September 15 and 16 operations were part of efforts to rid Niger State of illegal mining and that suspects were arrested during the exercise.

NSCDC authorities initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak. However, accounts from survivors and relatives have raised questions about the conditions under which the suspects were detained, including allegations of severe overcrowding and inadequate ventilation.

Reuters reported that many of those detained were teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18 and that survivors described conditions in which detainees struggled to breathe. Families have also alleged mistreatment and other forms of abuse. These allegations have not been established as facts and are among the issues expected to be examined by the ongoing investigation.

The differing accounts have made the determination of the precise cause of death a central part of the investigation. The government has not publicly established that the deaths resulted from any particular cause pending the conclusion of the inquiry.

Government orders comprehensive investigation

The deaths have prompted action from the Federal Government, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directing a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, subsequently announced the suspension of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, and 20 other personnel connected to the detention and arrest operations, pending the outcome of the investigation.

The government also constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the deaths.

The committee is chaired by a former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN, while other members include retired AIG Hosea Hassan Karma, Prof. Olayinka Buhari, representatives of the Minna Emirate Council and Niger state government, the National Secretary of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Liman Sulaiman, human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju, Blueprint Newspapers representative Zainab Suleiman Okino and public affairs analyst Dr George Agbakahi.

The committee has been given two weeks to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths and make recommendations. Its mandate includes establishing the identities of the deceased, examining the circumstances of their arrest and detention, determining the cause of death and identifying any responsibility or negligence, with recommendations for appropriate action and compensation where necessary.

NSCDC places 24 personnel in custody

The NSCDC has also taken further internal action as investigations intensify. The number of personnel held in connection with the incident has risen to 24, including the suspended Niger State Commandant.

Among those listed are officers responsible for intelligence and investigation, operations, legal duties, arrest operations and supervision of the detention facility. The list also includes personnel assigned to guard duties at the facility.

The development came after the earlier suspension of 20 officers announced by the Ministry of Interior.

The NSCDC said personnel found culpable would face appropriate disciplinary measures and prosecution where necessary.

Suberu Aniviye, who was the Niger State commandant when the arrests and deaths occurred, has since been replaced by Abdulhamid Kabara, who assumed duty as the new commandant amid the heightened public concern over the incident.

Deaths spark protests in Minna

The deaths triggered protests in Minna, with demonstrators demanding answers over the circumstances surrounding the detention and deaths of the miners.

The protests later became violent, leading authorities to impose a curfew in the Niger State capital. Security forces used tear gas to disperse protesters who gathered around the NSCDC office, while at least one protester was reportedly killed during the unrest.

The incident has therefore developed beyond a dispute over illegal mining enforcement, becoming a wider public accountability issue involving detention conditions, the treatment of suspects and the responsibility of security personnel in custody.

Families await answers

For the families of the 37 deceased persons, the release of the names provides an important step towards identifying their relatives and clarifying who died during the detention operation.

The IHRC said the list would also assist efforts relating to compensation for the affected families. However, questions remain about the individual circumstances of each death, the conditions in which the detainees were held and whether established detention procedures were followed.

The Federal Government has appealed for calm while the investigation continues, while the Interior Ministry has directed relevant authorities to cooperate fully with the independent committee.

The investigation is now expected to establish not only the cause of death but also what happened from the moment the miners were arrested during the September 15 and 16 operations until the discovery of the bodies on September 17. Until those findings are made public, allegations surrounding the deaths remain subject to investigation.

The release of the 37 names has consequently put individual identities to a tragedy that had previously been reported largely through numbers.

As the inquiry proceeds, the families and the wider public are expected to look to the government for a clear account of what happened, accountability where wrongdoing is established and appropriate redress for those affected.