The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has arrested and detained three more personnel over the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in its custody in Niger State, bringing the number of officers held in connection with the incident to 24.
NSCDC spokesman, Assistant Commandant of Corps Babawale Afolabi, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.
The NSCDC had initially announced the detention of 21 personnel following the deaths of the miners, who reportedly died while in the custody of the Corps in Niger State.
The latest arrests came as the Corps ordered its flag to fly at half-mast across all its formations for three days from Sunday (today), as a mark of mourning over the incident.
The development came 24 hours after the Federal Government constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the reported deaths.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had announced the committee on Saturday following President Bola Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive, transparent, and unhindered investigation into the incident, which occurred on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
Tunji-Ojo also ordered the suspension of all officers allegedly involved in the incident.
Reacting in a statement on Sunday, Afolabi said the three additional personnel identified in connection with the incident had been suspended, bringing the total number of personnel in custody to 24.
The spokesman noted that all the affected officers and men of the Niger State command had been moved to the NSCDC National Headquarters in Abuja for interrogation and administrative disciplinary action.
He said, “As against the initial figure of 21 personnel, three more personnel identified have also been placed on suspension, thereby bringing the total to 24 personnel.
“They are among the officers paraded at the Corps Headquarters.”
Afolabi added that the personnel would also be made available to the Presidential Independent Investigation Committee and other investigation panels for further investigation and possible prosecution.
He said, “In a swift and decisive joint operation conducted in conjunction with the Commandant General’s Special Investigation Squad, all officers and men of the Niger State Command linked to the gross misconduct have since 17th September 2026 been taken into protective custody at the National Headquarters, Abuja, where they are undergoing rigorous interrogation and administrative disciplinary action, to make them available for the Presidential Independent Investigation Committee and other investigation panels for further investigation and possible prosecution.”
Similarly, the NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Audi, said the Corps would ensure due process, transparency, and accountability in the investigation.
He said every personnel found culpable would face the full weight of internal disciplinary measures and the law.
“As a Corps built on integrity, professionalism, discipline, and absolute respect for the rule of law, we do not condone unprofessional conduct, high-handedness, or any action that undermines the fundamental rights of citizens or the sacred trust reposed in us,” Audi said.
The Commandant General also directed that the NSCDC flag be flown at half-mast across all formations for three days beginning Sunday.
The officers currently held include the suspended Niger State Commandant, Subaru Aniviye; Ajayi Philips, Head of Intelligence and Investigation; John Agrahau Chagwa, Head of Operations; Obafemi Elvis; Stephen Tsado, Officer-in-Charge of Legal; and other personnel.
The Federal Government’s 10-member panel is expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths and determine the responsibilities of any individuals or institutions found to have played a role in the incident.
Falana Seeks Prosecution
Speaking on the incident, human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) called on the Attorney-General of Niger State, Nasiru Mu’azu, to ensure the speedy investigation and prosecution of all persons found culpable.
Falana, in a statement on Saturday, said the Attorney-General should direct the relevant authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths and prosecute any NSCDC personnel or other individuals indicted by the investigation.
Falana said, “The Attorney-General of Niger State, Nasiru Mu’azu Esq., should ensure a speedy investigation by the State police command and immediate prosecution of all indicted suspects by the state Ministry of Justice.”
He described the deaths as a reminder of longstanding concerns over the treatment of suspects in detention facilities across the country, arguing that the circumstances surrounding the Niger incident should not be treated as an isolated occurrence.
Falana recalled the 1980 incident in which about 50 criminal suspects reportedly died after being locked inside a police transport van, popularly known as a “Black Maria,” at the premises of the Tinubu Magistrate Court in Lagos.
He argued that despite such incidents, overcrowding and poor conditions in detention facilities had continued to expose suspects to serious risks.
“The best way to honour the 37 suspects that were suffocated to death last week is to ensure that detention centres in the country meet the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, known as the Nelson Mandela Rules,” he said.
The United Nations’ Mandela Rules set minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners, including requirements relating to accommodation, sanitation, ventilation, healthcare, and the humane treatment of people deprived of their liberty.
Falana also linked the Niger incident to a broader concern about the manner in which suspects, particularly people arrested for minor or alleged offences, are detained before trial.
He urged the authorities to ensure that the investigation into the deaths establishes individual responsibility rather than ending with administrative sanctions.
CSOs Demand Probe
Also, the Coalition of Civil Societies for Transparency and Accountability has backed the Federal Government’s investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in Niger State, saying, “Anyone found culpable should face the full weight of the law.”
The National Coordinator of the coalition, Bilal Galadima, in a statement signed and released on Sunday, said the call for accountability should be guided by the “findings of the ongoing investigation rather than premature conclusions.”
Reacting to calls for the removal of the NSCDC Commandant-General, Prof Audi, the coalition said attention should remain on establishing what happened and holding those responsible to account.
Galadima said, “We sincerely sympathise with the families affected in the unfortunate incident where 37 persons suspected of illegal mining lost their lives while in NSCDC custody in Minna, Niger State.”
He added that, “At this sober moment,” stakeholders should allow the investigations already ordered by the Federal Government to establish the facts of the case.
According to the coalition, the Niger State NSCDC Commandant had indicated that he did not inform the Commandant-General about the arrest of the alleged illegal miners.
It stated, “It is therefore illogical to demand the sack of the Commandant-General for an operational lapse at a state command that was not reported to him.”
In a related development, the League of Northern Democrats demanded a transparent investigation into the deaths of 37 Nigerians in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, Niger State.
The group, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr Ladan Salihu, dated Saturday, September 19, said the victims were arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining in the Wushishi-Lukoto areas on September 15 and 16 and found dead on September 17.
The LND said while the NSCDC initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, survivor accounts and an intelligence report cited by AFP had raised concerns about overcrowding and inadequate ventilation.
“These accounts must be investigated rigorously rather than treated as either fact or dismissed without examination,” the group said.
Salihu said allegations of illegal mining could not justify the loss of lives in government custody, stressing that every detainee was entitled to humane treatment and due process.
“Whatever the allegations against the detainees, no accusation of illegal mining can justify the loss of life in government custody. Arrest and detention are not a death sentence,” the statement said.
“Every person in state custody is entitled to life, dignity, humane treatment, and due process,” it added.
The LND commended the Federal Government for ordering a comprehensive investigation, constituting a 10-member independent committee, and suspending officers connected with the incident pending the outcome of the inquiry.
However, they urged the government to ensure that the probe was not reduced to a mere administrative exercise, saying, “It must establish the truth, determine responsibility, and deliver justice.”
The group called for an independent and unhindered investigation into what happened from the victims’ arrest through detention, treatment, and death, including whether overcrowding, inadequate ventilation, medical negligence, abuse, or misconduct contributed to the fatalities.
It also demanded the preservation of relevant evidence, including arrest and detention records, medical records, available CCTV footage, duty rosters, and official communications, as well as proper identification of the victims and disclosure of the circumstances of their deaths to their families.
