Nigerian police probe death in custody of 37 illegal mining suspects

Nigerian police have launched an investigation into the deaths of 37 people who were in custody after being arrested for illegal mining.

Officials on Thursday linked the deaths to an outbreak of disease. However, the AFP news agency said that an intelligence report suggested that overcrowding and poor ventilation inside the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) detention facility in the northeastern Niger State may have been to blame.

The suspects were arrested during an operation targeting illegal mining on Tuesday and Wednesday, the head of the NSCDC in Niger State, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, said in a statement. The region is known for small-scale gold mining.

Officials suspect disease was the cause of the deaths, Aniviye said, noting the bodies have been sent for “further medical examination to establish the actual cause of death.” He did not elaborate on the type of disease suspected.

However, survivor Dauda Shehu told The Associated Press news agency that 65 detainees were packed into a poorly ventilated cell, suggesting they may have suffocated.

“We were jam-packed and there was no ventilation for us to breathe well,” Shehu said. “All of a sudden, we realised that we could not breathe and we started scrambling to get fresh air.”

Speaking at the Minna General Hospital, where the bodies were sent for examination, Shehu said the detainees tried to get the attention of the security agency’s guards by banging on the cell door.

Investigators have urged relatives of the victims to come forward with any information that could help.

Niger State Governor Farmer Mohammed Umaru Bago has announced three days of mourning, calling the deaths “sad and tragic”.

Protests were reported to have broken out on Thursday evening, with police responding by firing tear gas. Local outlets reported that NSCDC commander Aniviye has been suspended.