By Divine Sam.

A Federal Government investigative panel has concluded that 37 suspected illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State lost their lives through asphyxiation, or suffocation.

The chairman of the committee and former Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, disclosed the findings on Tuesday while submitting the panel’s report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja.

Kure said the committee recommended the payment of ₦1.4 billion in compensation to the families of 33 victims and 44 survivors.

He explained that the deaths could have been prevented, noting that the victims, including 14 minors, were detained under inhuman conditions.

The panel also called for the immediate dismissal of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant and other officers directly involved in the detention of the miners and the circumstances that led to their deaths.

In addition, the committee recommended institutional reforms within the NSCDC to improve leadership and strengthen the corps’ operations.

Receiving the report, Tunji-Ojo pledged that the Federal Government would implement the recommendations to ensure justice for those affected.

The minister also directed the NSCDC leadership to immediately suspend officers who allegedly cleaned up the detention facility in an attempt to destroy evidence.

The findings represent a significant development in the investigation into the deaths of the suspected illegal miners, who reportedly died on September 17, 2026, while in the custody of the NSCDC Niger State Command in Minna.

The victims were among several people arrested during operations targeting suspected illegal mining activities in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State.