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The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has confirmed that some suspected illegal miners arrested in Niger State have died while in custody following what it described as a suspected outbreak of disease.
The detainees were among scores of suspected illegal miners arrested during operations carried out on September 15 and 16 at M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto villages in the state.
Niger State Commandant of the NSCDC, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Thursday.
According to Aniviye, the operation was part of efforts by the Corps to tackle illegal mining activities in the affected communities.
He said the operation resulted in the arrest of “scores of suspected illegal miners” and the recovery of various exhibits.
However, some of those arrested were found dead in the early hours of Thursday.
“Scores of the detained suspects were found dead, following a suspected outbreak of disease,” Aniviye said.
The NSCDC said the bodies had been taken to the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination to establish the actual cause of death.
The exact number of deaths had not been stated by the command in its initial statement. However, reports citing the NSCDC’s Niger State spokesperson put the number at 33. The figure was not included in Commandant Aniviye’s statement, which used the term “scores.”
The specific disease suspected to have caused the deaths had also not been established as of Thursday, with authorities awaiting medical examinations.
The development has raised concerns among relatives of some of the detainees, with reports that family members gathered at the NSCDC headquarters in Minna seeking information about their relatives. Some residents were also reported to have protested following news of the deaths.
The NSCDC appealed to the families of the deceased and members of the public to remain calm and avoid actions capable of causing a breakdown of law and order.
“While the Corps, in synergy with sister security agencies, is on top of the situation, the Command appeals to the general public and the families of the deceased to remain calm,” the statement said.
The Corps said it was working with other security agencies to manage the situation and reiterated its commitment to respecting human rights and relevant international human rights standards.
The NSCDC also expressed condolences to the families of the deceased as investigations and medical examinations continue to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
