A wave of unrest has engulfed Minna, the Niger State capital, following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal gold miners, many of them teenagers, who suffocated inside an overcrowded detention cell operated by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The victims were among dozens of artisanal miners arrested during joint security raids conducted in the Wushishi-Lukoto area between September 15 and 16. While NSCDC officials initially attributed the deaths to a sudden disease outbreak, an internal security intelligence report indicates that severe overcrowding and lack of ventilation caused the fatalities.
Surviving detainees recounted scenes of chaos inside the facility, describing how inmates screamed and banged on the cell doors for fresh air as people collapsed around them, only for their pleas to be ignored by guards on duty.
Responding to the tragedy, Niger State Governor Umar Bago confirmed that many of the deceased were minors aged between 14 and 18. He lamented the growing problem of child labor in the state’s informal mining sector, noting that poverty continues to draw school-aged children into hazardous mining operations.
In the wake of public outrage, the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordered the immediate suspension of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, while President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed a comprehensive federal investigation into the incident.
The deaths triggered violent demonstrations across Minna on Thursday and Friday as relatives, local miners, and aggrieved youths clashed with security forces near the NSCDC operational headquarters. Protesters demanding justice attempted to burn government properties in the Tunga neighborhood, prompting police and military units to fire tear gas and live rounds to disperse the crowds.
To prevent further breakdown of law and order, state authorities imposed an overnight curfew across Minna, backed by heavy armed patrols to clear the streets and secure critical infrastructure.
