Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor l Journalist at Weng Global
Vice President Kashim Shettima has demanded answers over the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State, as the Federal Government announced ₦250 million in support for the victims’ families.
Shettima made the remarks on Monday, October 5, 2026, during a condolence visit to Minna, the Niger State capital, where he met Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago, members of the state government and relatives of some of the deceased.
The Vice President conveyed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s condolences to the Niger State Government and the families affected by the tragedy, which occurred in September after the miners were arrested during an NSCDC operation targeting suspected illegal mining.
The Federal Government’s financial support is intended to assist the families of the 37 victims following an incident that has generated significant public concern and prompted an independent investigation.
Shettima says deaths require answers
Speaking at the Niger State Government House in Minna, Shettima said the circumstances surrounding the deaths must not be ignored.
He described the deaths of the 37 men in NSCDC custody as a serious matter requiring answers, stressing that citizens remain entitled to protection by the state even when they are detained.
“The death of 37 young men in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps calls for initial questions,” Shettima said.
He argued that condolences and financial assistance, while important, could not replace an explanation of what happened to the detainees.
“Grief alone cannot answer the questions of bereaved families,” the Vice President said, adding that the families deserved the truth about the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Shettima also warned against allowing the incident to become a political, religious or sectional dispute.
He said the focus should remain on establishing the facts, protecting the dignity of the victims and ensuring that those responsible for any wrongdoing are held accountable.
Federal Government announces ₦250 million support
The Vice President announced ₦250 million in Federal Government support for the families of the 37 deceased persons during his visit.
The announcement adds a financial dimension to the government’s response to the tragedy, following earlier measures aimed at determining what led to the deaths.
Channels Television reported that the Federal Government described the deaths as a matter of national concern and stressed that citizens deprived of their liberty remained entitled to state protection.
The Voice of Nigeria also reported that Shettima announced the ₦250 million support package during his visit to Niger State.
The assistance, however, does not resolve the central questions surrounding the deaths. The government has already initiated an investigation intended to establish what happened inside the NSCDC facility.
How the Niger miners’ deaths unfolded
The 37 victims were among suspected illegal miners arrested during NSCDC operations conducted around the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Minna on September 15 and 16.
The NSCDC Niger State Command subsequently reported that scores of detained suspects had been found dead on September 17, with an initial explanation pointing to a suspected disease outbreak.
The deaths immediately generated questions about the conditions in which the suspects were held and the circumstances that preceded their deaths.
Premium Times reported that the Niger State Police Command opened an investigation after the bodies were discovered at an NSCDC detention facility in Minna.
The identities of the deceased were subsequently reported by several Nigerian media organisations after lists were compiled from available records.
TheCable reported that the victims had been arrested during NSCDC operations against suspected illegal mining before dying in custody.
Federal Government orders independent investigation
The deaths prompted the Federal Government to move beyond the initial security-agency response.
On September 19, the Federal Government announced the establishment of a 10-member independent committee to investigate the reported deaths.
According to the State House, the committee was constituted by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, following President Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive, transparent and unhindered investigation.
The government also ordered the suspension of officers linked to the incident pending the outcome of the investigation.
The Interior Ministry said the government owed the families of the deceased and the Nigerian public a transparent account of the circumstances that led to the deaths.
This means the central question remains unresolved: what exactly caused the deaths of the 37 detainees and whether any individuals or institutional failures contributed to the tragedy.
NSCDC personnel detained over the incident
The NSCDC has also taken internal disciplinary steps following the deaths.
Vanguard reported in September that the Corps detained 24 personnel in connection with the deaths, including the suspended Niger State Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, alongside 23 other officers.
The NSCDC Commandant General, Abubakar Audi, subsequently assured the public that the Corps would cooperate fully with the investigation.
Channels Television reported that Audi said the Corps would not shield personnel found culpable and that transparency, accountability and justice would be prioritised.
These measures indicate that the investigation is examining not only the circumstances surrounding the deaths but also the conduct of personnel responsible for the detainees.
However, allegations of responsibility should not be treated as established facts until the investigation reaches its conclusions.
Bago cautions against politicising the tragedy
Governor Umaru Bago received Shettima at the Government House in Minna and thanked the Vice President for visiting the state.
Bago described the visit as a demonstration of sympathy and solidarity with the families and people of Niger State.
The Vice President, meanwhile, cautioned against using the deaths to politically attack the governor.
Shettima said the tragedy should not be used to demonise Bago, stressing that the governor had no involvement in what happened to the deceased.
The position reflects the broader political sensitivity surrounding the incident, particularly because the deaths occurred inside a facility operated by a federal security agency in a state where the governor has faced multiple security and humanitarian challenges.
The focus, Shettima said, should instead remain on determining what happened and ensuring that the victims and their families receive dignity, care and answers.
Families seek truth as investigation continues
For the families of the deceased, the ₦250 million support package provides financial assistance but does not answer the questions surrounding the deaths.
The Vice President acknowledged this distinction during his visit, emphasising that families needed an account of how their relatives died.
Relatives of some of the victims were recognised during the meeting at Government House, while some families expressed appreciation for the Federal Government’s visit and support.
The tragedy has also renewed scrutiny of the treatment of people held in custody by security agencies.
Under Nigerian law and basic principles of human rights, detention does not remove a person’s entitlement to life and humane treatment. The circumstances surrounding the deaths therefore remain a matter of public interest beyond the specific allegations connected to illegal mining.
Why the Niger miners’ deaths matter
The incident raises broader questions about accountability within Nigeria’s security and detention systems.
The immediate issue is establishing the cause of death of the 37 detainees. But the wider significance concerns how people held by state institutions are protected and how security agencies respond when deaths occur under their supervision.
The Federal Government’s decision to establish an independent investigative committee is therefore significant because public confidence will depend not only on the investigation being conducted but also on whether its findings are made credible and transparent.
The case also highlights the risks surrounding illegal mining enforcement in Nigeria.
Illegal mining remains a major concern for the Nigerian government because of its effects on environmental degradation, public safety, economic losses and insecurity. However, enforcement operations must still comply with legal and human-rights obligations.
The deaths consequently present two separate but connected issues: the government’s responsibility to tackle illegal mining and its responsibility to protect people in state custody.
Neither responsibility removes the other.
What happens next
The independent committee’s investigation remains central to determining what happened to the 37 detainees.
The Federal Government has indicated that the process should establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths, while officers connected to the incident remain subject to investigation and disciplinary procedures.
The NSCDC has also said it will cooperate with the probe and that personnel found culpable should face appropriate consequences.
The eventual findings will be important for the victims’ families, the NSCDC, the Niger State Government and the wider Nigerian public.
For the families, the most important outcome will be a clear explanation of how their relatives died and whether anyone should be held responsible.
For the Federal Government, the credibility of its response will depend on whether the investigation is transparent, independent and capable of producing accountability where wrongdoing is established.
For Nigerians, the incident has become another test of whether security institutions can be held accountable when people die while under state custody.
The ₦250 million support announced by Shettima addresses part of the immediate hardship facing the victims’ families. The larger question of what happened to the 37 miners, however, can only be resolved through a credible investigation and the publication of its findings.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- The State House, Abuja — Federal Government announcement on the independent investigation into the deaths of 37 people in NSCDC custody.
- Channels Television — Report on the Federal Government’s ₦250 million support package and Shettima’s condolence visit.
- Voice of Nigeria — Report on Shettima’s visit to Niger State and the ₦250 million support announcement.
- Premium Times — Report on the investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners.
- Channels Television — Report on NSCDC cooperation with the presidential investigation.
- Vanguard — Report on the detention of NSCDC personnel linked to the incident.
