ABUJA, Nigeria — A government investigation has found that severe overcrowding, poor ventilation and neglect caused the deaths of suspected illegal miners held in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State, rejecting earlier suggestions that a disease outbreak was responsible.

The committee, chaired by Jonathan Kure, described the deaths as preventable after examining detention records, medical and autopsy reports, hospital documents and communication logs. Its findings point to serious failures in the treatment and supervision of detainees following their arrest during operations against suspected illegal mining.

According to the panel, the detainees died from asphyxia, or acute respiratory failure, after being confined in an overcrowded and poorly ventilated cell. Heat stress, dehydration and a lack of basic necessities worsened the conditions, while repeated pleas for assistance were allegedly ignored.

The deaths, which occurred in September, sparked public outrage and protests, renewing concerns about the treatment of people held by security agencies. Many of those detained were young artisanal miners, including teenagers.

The NSCDC initially suggested that a disease outbreak might have caused the deaths, before later stating that the cause had not been established. The committee said the evidence it reviewed did not support the disease-outbreak explanation. The agency had not immediately responded to a request for comment following the release of the findings.

The panel recommended compensation of ₦30 million for each deceased miner’s family and ₦10 million for each of 41 survivors. It also called for a comprehensive overhaul of the agency’s leadership and stronger accountability for failures in detention management. Senior NSCDC officials have been suspended pending the investigation.

The findings raise questions about how the detainees were housed, whether their distress signals were adequately addressed and what safeguards were in place to prevent deaths in custody. The case also highlights the need for transparent investigations when people die while under the control of state authorities.

There is, however, a discrepancy in the reported death toll. Reuters reported that 37 detainees died, while some Nigerian media reports on the committee’s findings said 33 deaths were verified. The final confirmed number should be clarified by the authorities.

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