Tragedy in custody: The deaths of young miners in Niger State

By OWOLOLA ADEBOLA
In the early hours of 17 September 2026, a grim discovery was made in Minna, capital of Nigeria’s mineral-rich Niger State. Thirty-seven young men and boys, arrested days earlier on suspicion of illegal mining, were found dead in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). Many of the deceased were teenagers, some as young as 14 or 15. The circumstances remain contested and opaque, sparking public outrage, protests and urgent calls for an independent investigation. The suspects had been rounded up on 15 and 16 September during enforcement operations in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Minna. Artisanal mining for gold and other minerals is...