The Federal Government has suspended the Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners while in custody, and ordered a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The decision came after the suspects, arrested during enforcement operations against illegal mining activities in parts of Niger State, were reportedly found dead in the early hours of Thursday, September 17, 2026.
The arrests were carried out on September 15 and 16 in the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis of Minna, as part of operations aimed at curbing illegal mining in the state.
In a statement issued on Friday by Alao Babatunde, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Federal Government said Aniviye would remain suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.
“It is an unfortunate incident; however, a full investigation will be conducted while the commandant under whose watch this happened remains suspended,” Tunji-Ojo said.
The minister added that the government’s priority remained the protection of lives and urged members of the public to remain calm and law-abiding while investigators establish what led to the deaths.
He also expressed condolences to Niger State Governor Umaru Bago and the families of those who died.
Aniviye had earlier disclosed that “scores” of suspects detained during the anti-illegal-mining operation were found dead at about the same time.
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According to the suspended commandant, the NSCDC carried out what he described as a “burst operation” on September 15 and 16, resulting in the arrest of several suspected illegal miners and the recovery of various exhibits.
He said the situation changed dramatically in the early hours of September 17.
“However, in the early hours of 17th September, 2026, scores of the detained suspects were found dead, following a suspected outbreak of disease,” Aniviye said.
The NSCDC subsequently deposited the bodies at the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination to determine the actual cause of death.
The command also appealed for calm from relatives of the deceased and members of the public.
NSCDC orders high-powered investigation
The NSCDC Commandant-General, Ahmed Abubakar, has meanwhile ordered the establishment of a high-powered investigative team to determine what happened to the detainees.
The team is being led by the Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation, according to the corps’ National Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi.
Unlike an inquiry limited to determining the immediate medical cause of death, the investigation has been mandated to examine the entire chain of events from the suspects’ arrest to their deaths.
Investigators are expected to establish the physical condition of the detainees when they were arrested, the duration of their detention, the conditions under which they were held and the medical attention they received.
“The team has been mandated to undertake a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances leading to the deaths, including the condition of the suspects upon arrest, their period in custody, the conditions of detention, medical attention provided, and other relevant circumstances surrounding the incident,” he said.
The conflicting stages of the official response have placed particular importance on the pending medical and investigative findings.
While the initial account from the Niger NSCDC command suggested a possible disease outbreak, the government has not formally established that as the cause of death.
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The bodies have reportedly been kept for medical examination, meaning the definitive cause of death remains subject to forensic and medical findings.
The investigation will also have to determine whether the deaths were connected to an infectious disease, inadequate detention conditions, lack of timely medical treatment, or any other factor.
Regardless of the allegations against the detainees, their deaths while in state custody raise questions about the conditions under which they were detained and whether adequate measures were taken to protect their lives.