At least 37 people suspected of illegal mining have died while being held by Nigeria’s civil defence corps in Niger state, prompting an investigation into whether overcrowding and poor ventilation contributed to the deaths.
Niger state Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago confirmed the death toll on Thursday, describing the incident as a tragedy and announcing the creation of a committee of inquiry.
“This morning we woke up to the news that about 37 persons died in the custody of the civil defence here in Minna,” Bago told reporters in the state capital.
The governor declared three days of mourning and postponed the start of campaigning for elections scheduled for January.
Police said an investigation had been launched into the deaths at a detention facility operated by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, or NSCDC.
The civil defence agency said it had detained scores of suspected illegal miners during operations on Tuesday and Wednesday and claimed that many were found dead early on Thursday following a suspected disease outbreak.
However, an intelligence report seen by AFP said preliminary information indicated the deaths may instead have resulted from overcrowding and inadequate ventilation inside the detention facility.
Police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun said the Niger state police commissioner had ordered an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The incident reportedly sparked protests in Minna by miners and their supporters, with vehicles and other property damaged during the unrest, according to the intelligence report.
A video circulated online showed dozens of bodies of young men lying outdoors, many wearing only shorts. Volunteers wearing gloves could be seen moving among the bodies while women attempted to identify relatives.
Niger state, which covers an area more than twice the size of Belgium, contains significant deposits of gold and other minerals and attracts thousands of artisanal miners.
Illegal gold mining has also become linked to insecurity in the region, with armed groups known locally as bandits accused of taxing miners and demanding a share of extracted ore in exchange for access to mining sites.
A 2024 report by SwissAid said much of Nigeria’s illegally mined gold is smuggled through the United Arab Emirates before entering international markets.
Niger state also contains deposits of tantalite, copper and lithium, minerals increasingly sought for electric vehicles and other clean-energy technologies.
