No fewer than 37 suspected illegal miners have died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, Niger State.
The victims were among scores of suspects arrested during NSCDC operations targeting illegal mining activities in M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of the state on September 15 and 16.
The detainees were reportedly found dead in the early hours of Thursday, September 17, prompting investigations by security authorities.
The Niger State NSCDC Command said the deaths followed a suspected disease outbreak, but stressed that the actual cause had not been established.
The command said the bodies had been deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination and determination of the cause of death.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago subsequently confirmed that 37 suspected illegal miners had died in NSCDC custody and described the incident as tragic.
Bago ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths and declared three days of mourning in honour of the victims. The state government also cancelled an All Progressives Congress rally scheduled to hold in Minna on Saturday.
The NSCDC headquarters has also constituted a high-powered investigative team to probe the incident.
According to the Corps, the panel will examine the condition of the suspects when they were arrested, their period in detention, the conditions in which they were held and the medical attention provided to them.
The Corps cautioned against attributing the deaths to any particular disease before the outcome of medical and laboratory examinations.
Meanwhile, an intelligence report cited by AFP suggested that overcrowding and inadequate ventilation in the detention facility could have contributed to the deaths. However, that account has not been established as the official cause of death.
The Niger State Police Command has also commenced a separate investigation into the deaths.
The development has raised concerns over the treatment and welfare of detainees, as authorities continue efforts to establish exactly what happened inside the NSCDC facility.
The remains of the deceased have been deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, where medical examinations are expected to help determine the cause of the deaths.
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