The names of the 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State have been released.
The victims were among scores of people arrested during anti-illegal mining operations carried out by the NSCDC in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of the state on September 15 and 16, 2026.
Politics Nigeria reported that the deaths occurred on September 17, shortly after the arrests.
The circumstances surrounding the incident have since generated public concern, protests and calls for accountability.
The NSCDC initially said the detainees died following a suspected outbreak of disease.
According to the Corps, the bodies were deposited at the General Hospital in Minna for medical examination to establish the actual cause of death.
However, accounts from survivors and relatives have raised questions about the conditions under which the detainees were held.
Some survivors alleged that a large number of people were kept in an overcrowded cell with poor ventilation shortly before the deaths.
The exact circumstances leading to the deaths have not been officially established. The matter is now the subject of investigations ordered by the Federal Government and the NSCDC.
Full Names of the 37 Victims
The names released are:
- Ibrahim Sani
- Fahad Sa’adu
- Abdulsalam Ismail
- Usman Aliyu
- Abubakar Alhaji
- Sani Nasir
- Sanusi Khalid
- Ahmad Aliyu
- Safiyanu Abdullahi
- Suleiman Dantala
- Idris Haruna
- Sani Yakubu
- Safiyanu Abubakar
- Abdullahi Abubakar
- Abubakar Musa
- Abdul Mudassir
- Suleiman Lawal
- Usman Abdullahi
- Samuel Sambo
- Ibrahim Musa
- Yusuf Nasiru
- Umar Lawal
- Isyaku Amisu
- Bissallah Adamu
- Abdulbari Suleiman
- Shafisu Lado
- Usman Ahmad
- Usman Ibrahim
- Sani Isyaku
- Musa Ibrahim
- Idris Bashir
- Kabiru Suleiman
- Emmanuel Emeka
- Mu’awiya AbdulKarim
- Abdul Gafar Abubakar
- Usman Haruna
- Aro Salihu Soba
Four of the names on the list — Mu’awiya AbdulKarim, Abdul Gafar Abubakar, Usman Haruna and Aro Salihu Soba — were indicated as not being included in the general hospital list.
The release of the names comes as the NSCDC intensifies its investigation into the incident.
The Corps has taken several officers connected to the operation into custody. The number of personnel under investigation rose to 24 after three additional officers were identified and suspended.
Among those in custody is the suspended Niger State Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye.
The other personnel include officers involved in arrest operations, investigation, intelligence, legal duties and the supervision of the detention facility.
The NSCDC said the officers are being subjected to interrogation and administrative disciplinary procedures while investigations continue.
The Corps’ National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commandant Babawale Afolabi, said personnel found culpable would face disciplinary action and prosecution where necessary.
The development followed the Federal Government’s decision to suspend Aniviye and order an independent investigation into the deaths.
Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo subsequently constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the incident.
The committee is expected to establish the identities of the deceased, examine the circumstances surrounding their arrest and detention, and determine the cause and circumstances of their deaths.
The committee has also been mandated to establish whether there was responsibility, complicity, negligence or misconduct in connection with the incident.
It has two weeks to complete its assignment and submit its report.
The Federal Government has directed the NSCDC and other relevant authorities to preserve documents, records and other materials that could assist the investigation.
The Minister also warned against any attempt to destroy evidence, intimidate witnesses or obstruct the investigation.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago had earlier confirmed that 37 suspected illegal miners died after being detained by the NSCDC.
The incident also led to the cancellation of a planned political rally in Minna as authorities responded to the situation.
Protests later broke out in Minna over the deaths. The demonstrations led to clashes between protesters and security personnel, prompting the state government to impose a curfew in parts of the city.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has also directed that the circumstances surrounding the deaths be investigated.
The NSCDC has since deployed a new commandant to Niger State following the suspension of Aniviye.
Abdulhamid Kabara assumed office as the new commandant of the state command on September 18.
The Corps has also ordered its flag to be flown at half-mast across its formations for three days in honour of the deceased.
The cause of death remains a central issue in the investigation.
While the NSCDC initially referred to a suspected disease outbreak, reports from survivors have raised other questions about overcrowding and conditions inside the detention facility.
One survivor alleged that dozens of detainees were kept in a single cell before some of them began experiencing difficulty breathing and collapsing.
These allegations have not been established as fact and are expected to be examined by the investigation panel.
The deaths have also raised concerns about the treatment of people held in security custody, particularly as reports indicate that some of the detainees were young.
Recall that Politics Nigeria had earlier reported the suspension of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant following the deaths of the 37 suspected illegal miners in custody.
The Federal Government subsequently ordered an independent investigation into the incident, while the NSCDC moved to investigate its personnel connected to the operation.