TD Minna, Niger State — A survivor of the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has alleged that an unidentified substance was sprayed inside the detention cell shortly before several detainees began collapsing.
The allegation has introduced a new dimension to the investigation into the deaths, which occurred after dozens of suspected illegal miners were arrested during NSCDC operations in Niger State.
According to reports from Channels Television and Blueprint, the survivor made the allegation during a visit to surviving detainees by Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Friday. The identity and nature of the substance have not been established.
“They sprayed something in the cell after putting us inside, and people started falling down,” the survivor reportedly told the minister.
67 Detainees Reportedly Held in Cell
The incident followed NSCDC enforcement operations conducted on September 15 and 16, 2026, around the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State, where suspected illegal miners were arrested.
Niger State Governor Umaru Bago later disclosed that 67 artisanal and suspected illegal miners had been detained in an NSCDC cell before 37 died.
The NSCDC initially said the deaths followed a suspected disease outbreak.
However, the corps later clarified that the actual cause had not been established and that medical and laboratory examinations would be required.
Other survivors have described extreme heat, overcrowding and difficulty breathing inside the detention facility.
One survivor told Channels Television that 17 people were initially locked in a small room before additional detainees were brought in, despite complaints about the size and heat of the room.
Cause of Death Still Unestablished
Authorities have not confirmed that the alleged sprayed substance caused any of the deaths.
Governor Bago said forensic examinations, medical examinations and autopsies were being conducted to determine what happened.
Reports have also cited possible suffocation linked to overcrowding and poor ventilation as one line of inquiry, while other possibilities remain under investigation.
The Niger State Government has constituted a committee of inquiry, while the Federal Government has ordered investigations into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The Federal Government also suspended Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, the NSCDC Commandant in Niger State, pending investigation.
IGP Disu Visits Niger, Promises Thorough Investigation
The development came as Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu visited Governor Umaru Bago at the Niger State Government House in Minna on Friday.
Disu said the Nigeria Police Force would work with the NSCDC and Niger State Government to establish the circumstances that led to the deaths.
He described deaths in custody as a serious matter and pledged that the investigation would be thorough and would not be compromised.
The IGP also visited locations connected to the incident and appealed for calm amid protests and public anger over the deaths.
Protests Erupt in Minna
The deaths have triggered protests in parts of Minna, with residents demanding answers over the circumstances surrounding the detainees’ deaths.
Security agencies have been deployed in the city as authorities work to prevent further unrest. The Niger State Government has also taken measures to restore calm while investigations continue.
The federal government has separately deployed a team to Niger State to investigate the deaths and establish the facts surrounding the incident.
For now, the allegation that an unidentified substance was sprayed into the cell remains unverified, and authorities have yet to establish an official cause of death.
The outcome of the medical, forensic, police and administrative investigations is still expected.
It is hoped to clarify whether the deaths resulted from overcrowding, a medical condition, exposure to a hazardous substance, or any other cause.
