Civil society organisations have called for the arrest and prosecution of the owner of a mining site in Niger State where 37 suspected illegal miners died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), as former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, denies an allegation linking him to the site.
The deaths occurred on Thursday, September 17, 2026, after NSCDC officers arrested suspected illegal miners during enforcement operations at M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16, 2026. The NSCDC confirmed the deaths on September 17, 2026, saying the detainees had been found dead in the early hours of that day.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago confirmed the death of 37 detainees on September 18, 2026, while the state government announced an investigation into the incident. The bodies were taken to General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination, with authorities yet to establish the cause of death.
The NSCDC initially said on September 17, 2026, that the deaths followed a suspected disease outbreak. However, the Corps also said medical examination would be required to determine the actual cause of death.
Survivors separately described overcrowding and poor ventilation at the detention facility. The Associated Press reported on September 18, 2026, that survivor Dauda Shehu said detainees struggled to breathe in the overcrowded cell. The circumstances and cause of the deaths remain subject to investigation.
The ownership of the mining site has become another issue in the investigation after survivor Malam Babawo Tudun Nasera alleged that the site belonged to Babangida. Nasera made the claim while recounting the arrest and death of his 17-year-old brother, Salim, who was among those detained. The allegation has not been independently established.
Babangida denied the allegation on Saturday, September 19, 2026. In a statement issued through his media office and signed by Dr David Adeniran, Babangida said he did not own, lease or possess any mineral rights, property or land connected to mining operations in Niger State or elsewhere in Nigeria. His media office also rejected the allegation that he instructed miners to continue working at the site and threatened legal action over reports it described as defamatory.
The Nigerian Bar Association, in a statement dated September 19, 2026, called for a thorough, independent and transparent investigation into the deaths. The NBA said it was deliberately avoiding conclusions about the cause of death until evidence was established, but said those who were found responsible through abuse, negligence or other wrongdoing should be held accountable.
Other civil society organisations have called on investigators to establish the identity of the person or persons who owned, controlled or financed the mining operation. Punch reported on September 20, 2026, that the groups were demanding the arrest and prosecution of the site owner if evidence establishes responsibility.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered a full and transparent investigation on Friday, September 18, 2026. The State House said the investigation should establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and determine whether negligence, abuse or dereliction of duty occurred.
On Saturday, September 19, 2026, Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the deaths. The committee, chaired by retired DSS Deputy Director-General Jonathan Kure, was directed to establish the identities of the deceased and investigate their arrests, detention and the cause and circumstances of their deaths. It has two weeks to submit its report.
The Federal Government also suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant and 20 other officers pending the outcome of the investigation. The federal committee is expected to determine responsibility, complicity, negligence and misconduct and recommend appropriate action where necessary.
With federal and state investigations now underway, the ownership of the mining site remains disputed. The evidence gathered by the investigative bodies will determine whether anyone connected to the mining operation or the deaths should face prosecution.
