Death of 33 Detained Miners: Protests Rock Minna, NSCDC State Commandant Faces Investigation
Street protests have erupted in Minna, Niger State, over the unexplained death of thirty-seven suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.
Protests were reported in parts of Tunga, Maitumbi and Bosso roads, with some government property touched, and 2027 elections campaign posters destroyed.
Security operatives have deployed across Minna to monitor the situation and prevent further breakdown of law and order.
The Niger State Government has also constituted a separate committee to investigate the death of the NSCDC detainees.
Governor UMARU BAGO also imposed a twenty-four-hour curfew across the state capital, effective after the Friday Muslim prayers.
Residents are expected to remain indoors and avoid all unnecessary movements during the period of the curfew, with security agencies directed to enforce movement restriction.
Similarly, the Minister of Interior, OLUBUNMI TUNJI-OJO, has ordered a full-scale investigation of the NSCDC detention tragedy in Niger State.
TUNJI-OJO also approved the suspension of the State Commandant, and other senior officials at the state command.
The suspended State Commandant is to appear before a panel of inquiry at the NSCDC National Headquarters in Abuja.
He is to appear before the panel, alongside the Heads of Operations, Mining, Legal, Intelligence and Investigation.
The Minister further directed the NSCDC Commandant General, AHMED ABUBAKAR AUDI, to oversee the investigation, ensuring that it is transparent, with no stone left unturned.
The NSCDC National Public Relations Officer, BABAWALE AFOLABI, confirmed the development in a statement, on behalf of the Commandant General.
In an earlier statement, BABAWALE AFOLABI confirmed the death of at least thirty-three detainees who were arrested during coordinated operations in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto axis of Niger State on September 15 and 16, 2026.
AFOLABI said the deaths were discovered in the early hours of Thursday, with the Niger State Commandant initially attributing the cause to a suspected outbreak of disease.
He said the Commandant General, AHMED ABUBAKAR AUDI, set up a high-powered panel led by the Deputy Commandant General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation, to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the incident.