The names of 37 suspected illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in Niger State have been released.
The victims were arrested during anti-illegal mining operations carried out by the NSCDC in the state on September 15 and 16, 2026.
Tragically, in the early hours of September 17, thirty-seven of those arrested were found dead, with many foaming from the mouth.
The NSCDC initially claimed that they died after a suspected disease outbreak, noting that the bodies were deposited at the General Hospital in Minna for medical examination to establish the actual cause of death.
However, angry Nigerians questioned this narrative and demanded an investigation.
Following a protest by youths over the development, Governor Mohammed Bago on Friday, September 17, imposed a 24-hour curfew in the state.
The governor equally said that some of the survivors were taken to the hospital for treatment, while others have been reunited with their families after the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Services, DSS, took their statements.
Below are the names of those who died in the NSCDC custody:
1. Ibrahim Sani
2. Fahad Sa’adu
3. Abdulsalam Ismail
4. Usman Aliyu
5. Abubakar Alhaji
6. Sani Nasir
7. Sanusi Khalid
8. Ahmad Aliyu
9. Safiyanu Abdullahi
10. Suleiman Dantala
11. Idris Haruna
12. Sani Yakubu
13. Safiyanu Abubakar
14. Abdullahi Abubakar
15. Abubakar Musa
16. Abdul Mudassir
17. Suleiman Lawal
18. Usman Abdullahi
19. Samuel Sambo
20. Ibrahim Musa
21. Yusuf Nasiru
22. Umar Lawal
23. Isyaku Amisu
24. Bissallah Adamu
25. Abdulbari Suleiman
26. Shafisu Lado
27. Usman Ahmad
28. Usman Ibrahim
29. Sani Isyaku
30. Musa Ibrahim
31. Idris Bashir
32. Kabiru Suleiman
33. Emmanuel Emeka
34. Mu’awiya AbdulKarim
35. Abdul Gafar Abubakar
36. Usman Haruna
37. Aro Salihu Soba
