NEWS
“They Sprayed Something In The Cell, People Started Falling Down” — Survivor Recounts How 37 Suspected Illegal Miners Died In Niger NSCDC Custody
A survivor of the detention ordeal involving suspected illegal miners in Niger State has recounted the terrifying circumstances surrounding the deaths of 37 detainees in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), alleging that an unidentified substance was sprayed inside an overcrowded cell shortly before several detainees began collapsing.
The survivor gave the account on Friday, September 18, 2026, during a visit by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to some of those who survived the incident.
According to the account, the detainees were initially placed in a small room, with the number of occupants later increasing significantly. The survivor said those inside repeatedly complained about the cramped conditions and intense heat but were allegedly not moved to a larger or better-ventilated facility.
He further alleged that an unidentified substance, which appeared to resemble perfume, was sprayed into the room before the door was locked.
“They sprayed something in the cell, people started falling down,” the survivor recounted.
In another account from the incident, a survivor said 17 people were initially locked inside the room before another 48 detainees were brought in, bringing the number to 65. He said the occupants complained about the lack of space and heat, while some eventually collapsed.
The survivor also alleged that the substance caused irritation in the throat and eyes and that detainees pleaded for water after the situation became increasingly difficult.
Another survivor reportedly said he believed he survived because he was positioned close to the entrance of the cell, where he had relatively better access to air. He also alleged that detainees screamed for help as people began collapsing.
The deaths occurred after suspected illegal miners were arrested during NSCDC enforcement operations in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16.
The detainees were subsequently taken into custody in Minna, where 37 of them later died.
The NSCDC initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, although authorities have stressed that the actual cause of death has not been conclusively established. Medical, laboratory and forensic investigations have consequently been ordered to determine what happened.
The survivor’s allegation about an unidentified substance being sprayed inside the cell has also not been independently established as the cause of the deaths.
Following the incident, the Federal Government suspended officers connected to the detention and ordered an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The move followed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive, transparent and unhindered investigation into the incident.
The affected officers include Station Guard SC Usman Isah Ndamaka; Station Guard ASCI Hassan Mohammed; Station Guard CCA Bala Mohammed; Arresting Officer/O/C Investigation CSC Oluwadare Sunday; Arresting Officer DCC Obafemi Elvis; and Arresting Officer CSC Annas Shitto Lamino.
Others are HOD INT/INV DCC Philip Ajayi; O/C Legal ACC Barr. Stephen Tsado; Day/Night Duty Officer ASCI Alhassan Mohammed; as well as 11 officers assigned to guard duties.
The Interior Minister said all officers connected to the incident would remain suspended pending the conclusion of the independent investigation.
Tunji-Ojo described the deaths as deeply disturbing, stressing that the families of the deceased and the Nigerian public were entitled to a transparent account of what happened.
The Minister has also constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the incident and establish the facts surrounding the deaths.
The committee is chaired by retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, while Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN, former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, will serve as secretary.
Other members include retired AIG Hosea Hassan Karma; Prof. Olayinka Buhari, a Professor of Histopathology and former Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital; a representative of the Minna Emirate Council; and a representative of the Niger State Government.
Also on the committee are Alhaji Liman Sulaiman, National Secretary of the Miners Association of Nigeria; lawyer and human rights activist Deji Adeyanju; Mrs Zainab Suleiman Okino of Blueprint Newspaper; and Dr George Agbakahi, a public affairs analyst.
The committee has been given two weeks to complete its assignment and submit its report to the Minister of Interior.
It has been empowered to identify the deceased, examine the circumstances of their arrest and detention, establish the causes of their deaths and determine whether negligence, misconduct, complicity or other forms of responsibility were involved.
The panel can also visit locations connected to the incident, access relevant facilities and documents, invite experts and request memoranda from members of the public.
The Minister has directed the NSCDC leadership and all relevant officers to fully cooperate with the investigation.
Authorities have also been ordered to preserve and release all records and material evidence connected to the incident.
“Any attempt to destroy or conceal evidence, intimidate witnesses or obstruct the investigation will be treated as a serious offence,” Tunji-Ojo warned.
The committee is expected to make recommendations on appropriate action, including compensation where applicable, as well as measures aimed at preventing a recurrence.
Meanwhile, the competing accounts surrounding the deaths — including the survivors’ allegations of overcrowding, poor ventilation and the spraying of an unidentified substance, alongside the initial official suggestion of a possible disease outbreak — have intensified calls for the investigation to establish the precise cause and circumstances of the tragedy.
The investigation is therefore expected to provide answers to key questions surrounding what happened inside the detention facility and how 37 people arrested in connection with suspected illegal mining operation
s came to lose their lives while in government custody.