Niger NSCDC Tragedy: Survivor Reveals What Happened Before 37 Miners Died in Custody
A survivor of the Niger State NSCDC detention tragedy recounts how 65 suspected miners were allegedly crammed into a small cell before 37 died. Here is what he said and what investigations have been established so far.
The shocking deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State have taken a new turn following a survivor's detailed account of what allegedly happened inside the detention facility.
The survivor, identified in reports as Dauda Shehu, described a chaotic and terrifying experience in which dozens of detainees were allegedly packed into a small, poorly ventilated cell. In a separate account reported by The Cable, another survivor alleged that an unidentified substance was sprayed inside the cell shortly before several detainees began collapsing.
The accounts have intensified questions surrounding the circumstances of the deaths, although the precise cause has not yet been scientifically established. Authorities have ordered medical, forensic and biological investigations to determine what happened.
Survivor's Account of the Detention
According to Shehu's account to the Associated Press, approximately 65 detainees were packed into a poorly ventilated cell.
He said the detainees struggled to breathe as conditions inside the room deteriorated. According to the survivor, those trapped inside began scrambling for fresh air and banging on the cell door in an attempt to alert security personnel.
The AP reported Shehu as saying that the detainees realized they could not breathe properly and attempted to attract the attention of guards.
His account presents overcrowding and inadequate ventilation as central factors in the tragedy. However, it remains a survivor's testimony and does not, by itself, establish the medical cause of the deaths. (AP News)
Allegation of a Substance Being Sprayed
A second survivor account has introduced an additional and potentially significant element.
Speaking during a visit by Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago and Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo to survivors, one detainee alleged that the cell initially contained 17 people before another 48 were brought in.
The survivor, according to The Cable, said the detainees complained that the room was too small. He alleged that someone later sprayed an unidentified substance inside before locking the door.
He described the substance as smelling like perfume but said it caused a burning sensation in his throat and eyes. He also alleged that the temperature inside the room became extremely hot and that some detainees collapsed.
The survivor further claimed that detainees pleaded for water but were refused access. He said he eventually fainted and regained consciousness the following morning. (TheCable)
Pulse Nigeria reported a similar account, saying the survivor alleged that people began falling after the substance was sprayed and that detainees were pleading for water and assistance. (Pulse Nigeria)
These allegations are serious, but they remain allegations pending independent verification. There is currently no publicly established forensic finding confirming what the substance was or that it caused the deaths.
How the 37 Deaths Happened
The deaths followed an NSCDC operation against suspected illegal mining in Niger State.
The security agency carried out arrests around the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas on September 15 and 16, 2026. The suspects were subsequently taken into custody in Minna.
By September 17, dozens of detainees had died.
The Niger State Government eventually confirmed that 37 people had died while in NSCDC custody. Governor Bago announced a period of mourning for the victims and ordered investigations into the incident.
The initial explanation from the NSCDC was that a suspected disease outbreak might have caused the deaths. The agency, however, said the actual cause had not been conclusively established and that the bodies had been taken to hospital for medical examination.
That explanation contrasts with the accounts provided by survivors, who have described overcrowding, extreme heat, poor ventilation and difficulty breathing. (AP News)
What Authorities Are Investigating
Competing accounts have made the forensic investigation particularly important.
Authorities need to determine the condition of the detainees when they arrived at the facility, the number of people held in the cell, the capacity and ventilation of the room, the medical attention available to detainees and what happened during the period immediately preceding the deaths.
Investigators will also need to determine whether the detainees had been exposed to hazardous substances before or after their arrest, particularly because the operation involved suspected illegal mining.
Governor Bago has indicated that investigators are examining several possibilities, including suffocation caused by overcrowding and possible exposure to hazardous substances.
The medical examinations and autopsies are therefore expected to provide evidence that can either corroborate or contradict the different accounts now circulating.
Federal Government Orders Investigation
The incident has prompted intervention from the Federal Government.
Interior Minister Tunji-Ojo suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, while investigations continue. The NSCDC headquarters also established an investigative team to examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu subsequently directed a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
The Federal Government has also deployed experts from the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to assist investigators in examining whether substances associated with illegal mining could have played a role.
The suspension of the NSCDC commandant should not itself be interpreted as a finding of culpability. The purpose of the investigation is to establish what happened and whether any individual or institution bears responsibility.
A Tragedy That Has Raised Wider Questions
The survivor's account has shifted attention from the deaths themselves to the conditions in which detainees were held.
If the allegation that approximately 65 people were held in one poorly ventilated room is confirmed, investigators would need to establish why so many people were placed there and whether the facility met required detention standards.
The allegation concerning an unidentified sprayed substance also requires scientific examination. Investigators would need to determine what substance, if any, was used, who authorized its use, why it was used and whether it had any connection with the deaths.
At the same time, the possibility of disease, pre-existing medical conditions or exposure to hazardous substances associated with mining activities cannot be ruled out until forensic evidence is available.
Families Await Answers
For the families of the 37 deceased, the investigation is more than a question of institutional accountability. It is about understanding how relatives who entered custody alive ended up dead within such a short period.
The incident has already sparked protests in Minna and generated demands for transparency.
The survivor testimonies provide an important account of what happened inside the detention facility, but they are only one part of the evidence. Autopsy results, toxicology tests, medical records, CCTV or other available security records, detention registers and statements from officers and surviving detainees will be important in reconstructing the events.
For now, the central facts are clear: 37 suspected illegal miners died while in NSCDC custody in Niger State, and survivors have described overcrowding and distress inside the detention facility.
But the precise medical cause of the deaths and whether the alleged conditions or an unidentified substance contributed to them remains a matter for the ongoing investigations.
The survivor's account has therefore opened another chapter in the Niger tragedy. What remains is for forensic evidence and independent investigations to determine which parts of the testimony can be substantiated and, ultimately, what caused 37 people to lose their lives in government custody.