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.
Recall that the victims were arrested during anti-illegal mining operations carried out by the NSCDC in the state on September 15 and 16, 2026.
The deaths, which occurred on September 17, shortly after the arrests, have generated public concern, protests and calls for accountability.
The NSCDC had earlier said 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.
Following a protest by youths over the development, Governor Mohammed Bago on Friday 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 those who died in the NSCDC custody:
Ibrahim Sani, Fahad Sa’adu, Abdulsalam Ismail, Usman Aliyu, Abubakar Alhaji, Sani Nasir, Sanusi Khalid, Ahmad Aliyu, Safiyanu Abdullahi, Suleiman Dantala, Idris Haruna, Sani Yakubu, Safiyanu Abubakar, Abdullahi Abubakar, Abubakar Musa.
Others include: Abdul Mudassir, Suleiman Lawal, Usman Abdullahi, Samuel Sambo, Ibrahim Musa, Yusuf Nasiru, Umar Lawal, Isyaku Amisu, Bissallah Adamu, Abdulbari Suleiman, Shafisu Lado, Usman Ahmad, Usman Ibrahim, Sani Isyaku, Musa Ibrahim, Idris Bashir, Kabiru Suleiman, Emmanuel Emeka, Mu’awiya AbdulKarim, Abdul Gafar Abubakar, Usman Haruna, Aro Salihu Soba.
