The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has petitioned four United Nations Special Rapporteurs to seek explanations from the Federal Government over the death of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in Niger State and the alleged use of force against protesters in Minna.
The petition was contained in an urgent appeal dated September 18, 2026, signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
The 37 detainees were among scores of suspected illegal miners arrested during NSCDC operations in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16.
The NSCDC confirmed the deaths after some detainees were found dead at its facility in Minna on September 17.
The corps initially referred to a suspected disease outbreak, while authorities have said investigations and medical examinations are required to establish the actual cause of death.
The deaths triggered protests in Minna, with residents and relatives demanding answers over the circumstances surrounding the fatalities.
Security forces were deployed as demonstrations intensified, with reports of tear gas being used and allegations that live ammunition was fired.
The precise circumstances and type of ammunition used during the protests remain subject to investigation.
SERAP said the developments required urgent independent scrutiny, stressing that the circumstances surrounding both the deaths in custody and the reported use of force against protesters must be established.
“Thirty-seven people went into NSCDC custody. They came out dead. Nigerians deserve to know what happened,” the organisation said in its appeal.
SERAP urged the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and association; Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression; and Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders to communicate with the Nigerian government over the incident.
The organisation called for an investigation that is independent, impartial, prompt, thorough, effective and transparent, saying it should establish the identities of all those who died, the circumstances and causes of their deaths, their conditions of detention, the medical attention they received and the responsibility, if any, of individual officers and commanders.
The appeal also urged authorities to preserve physical, documentary, digital, medical and forensic evidence and ensure that families of the deceased and injured protesters have access to relevant information.
The call comes as Nigerian authorities have already begun investigations into the deaths.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago confirmed the deaths and said forensic and medical examinations, including autopsies, were being conducted to determine the cause. The state government also constituted a committee of inquiry.
The NSCDC has separately ordered an investigation, while its Niger State commandant, Suberu Aniviye, was suspended to allow investigations into the incident. The Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, also directed a full-scale investigation into the deaths.
Authorities have cautioned against drawing conclusions on the cause of death before the investigations are completed.
Governor Bago said possible causes under consideration included overcrowding and exposure to hazardous substances associated with illegal mining, while the NSCDC has maintained that the cause had not been conclusively established.
SERAP, however, said the investigation must go beyond establishing the immediate cause of death to determine whether any violations occurred during the arrests, detention and treatment of the suspects.
It also called on the UN rapporteurs to seek information on the legal basis for the arrests and detention, the number of protesters killed or injured and the circumstances surrounding the reported use of force during the demonstrations.
The organisation further urged the Nigerian government to protect protesters, journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders, witnesses and relatives of victims from intimidation, harassment, arbitrary arrest or reprisals.
SERAP also called for accountability where unlawful conduct is established, including appropriate remedies and compensation for victims and their families.
“The answer to deaths in custody cannot be more deaths on the streets,” the organisation said.
The group cited a 2022 communication by UN Special Procedures mandate holders to the Nigerian government concerning the #EndSARS protests, in which the experts expressed concern over the reported use of lethal force against unarmed protesters and stressed the importance of necessity and proportionality in the use of force.
The latest appeal comes amid heightened tension in Minna following the deaths. The Niger State Government imposed a 24-hour curfew in the state capital as authorities moved to contain unrest, while the state also declared a three-day mourning period for the deceased.
SERAP said the immediate priority should be establishing the truth about what happened to those who died in custody and determining whether the response to subsequent protests complied with Nigerian law and international human rights standards.
