A surviving suspected illegal miner in Niger State has alleged that his colleagues died after an unidentified substance was sprayed inside their cell while they were in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The survivor made the allegation on Friday during a visit to the state by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who was in Niger to investigate the deaths of suspected illegal miners held in NSCDC custody.
“They sprayed something in the cell after putting us inside, and people started falling down,” the survivor said.
The allegation has added a new dimension to questions surrounding the deaths of the suspected miners, who were arrested during enforcement operations against illegal mining in the Wushishi/Lukoto axis of Niger State.
The Daily Crucible reports that 37 suspected illegal miners arrested in M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto villages in Niger state died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Niger State Command.
The suspects were arrested during operations conducted on September 15 and 16 but on Thursday morning, September 17, 2026, “scores of the detained suspects were found dead” following what the NSCDC authority suspected to be caused by an “outbreak of disease.”
“The corpses of the deceased suspects have since been deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for further medical examination to establish the actual cause of death.”
Giving insight into the mysterious deaths of his colleagues, the survivor said claimed the detainees began collapsing after the unidentified substance was sprayed inside their cell.
However, the allegation has not been independently established, and the exact cause of the deaths remains unknown as investigations continue.
The suspects were arrested during enforcement operations conducted on September 15 and 16 and were subsequently taken into NSCDC custody, where the deaths were recorded.
Tunji-Ojo visited the state as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to establish what led to the deaths and assess the condition of those who survived.
Following the incident, the minister suspended the Niger State Commandant of the NSCDC, Suberu Aniviye, and ordered a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The NSCDC has also constituted an investigative team to examine the condition of the suspects at the time of their arrest, their treatment while in custody, the conditions under which they were detained and the medical attention provided to them.
The investigation is expected to establish the sequence of events leading to the deaths and determine whether any individuals or other factors contributed to the incident.
