33 illegal miners feared dead in Niger

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No fewer than 33 suspected illegal miners are feared dead after being detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State.

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The suspects were arrested during an operation against illegal mining activities in the state and detained at an NSCDC facility in Minna.

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The deaths were discovered in the early hours of Thursday, according to the NSCDC Niger State Command.

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The state Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, confirmed the deaths in a statement on Thursday, saying they followed a suspected outbreak of disease.

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Aniviye said the command had conducted a “burst operation” on September 15 and 16 as part of its efforts to tackle illegal mining activities.

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“The operation yielded significant results, with scores of suspected illegal miners arrested and various exhibits recovered.

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“However, in the early hours of 17th September, 2026, scores of the detained suspects were found dead, following a suspected outbreak of disease.

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“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,” the statement added.

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A source at the hospital told PUNCH Online that the deceased were 33 in number and that they were suspected to have died from diphtheria.

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The figure has not been confirmed by the NSCDC, which said only that “scores” of detained suspects were found dead in the early hours of Thursday.

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Residents of M.I. Wushishi and Mekunkle, believed to be relatives of some of the suspects, reportedly protested on Thursday after news of the deaths spread.

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PUNCH Online made attempts to contact the NSCDC spokesman in Niger State, Muhammad Muti, but he could not be reached on his phone. Messages sent through SMS and WhatsApp had also not received a response as of the time of filing this report

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Aniviye appealed to the families of the deceased and members of the public to remain calm and avoid actions that could lead to a breakdown of law and order.

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He said the NSCDC was working with sister security agencies to manage the situation.

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The commandant also said the corps remained committed to enforcing human rights standards and international human rights charters.

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