‘They Couldn’t Breathe’: Children Among 37 Suspected Miners Who Died in Niger NSCDC Custody
Children were among 37 suspected illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State, with survivors describing overcrowding and a desperate struggle for fresh air inside the detention facility.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago said many of those who died were children aged between 14 and 18 who had been working in gold mines instead of attending school.
The suspected miners were arrested during NSCDC raids on illegal mining sites in the Wushishi-Lukoto area near Minna on September 15 and 16.
The NSCDC initially attributed the deaths to a possible disease outbreak but later said the cause had not been established. However, preliminary intelligence shared with AFP suggested that overcrowding and inadequate ventilation may have contributed.
A survivor, Dauda Shehu, said detainees were packed into the cell and struggled to breathe. He said they repeatedly called for help and banged on the door, but no one opened it.
Another survivor told reporters that he escaped death because he was positioned near the entrance of the cell, where there was better access to air. The accounts have not been independently verified.
The deaths triggered protests in Minna, with miners and relatives demanding answers. Security forces used teargas to disperse protesters, while reports also emerged of attacks on public property. A curfew was subsequently imposed in the state capital.
The Federal Government ordered the suspension of the Niger State NSCDC commandant pending an investigation, while President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed authorities to investigate the deaths. The state government also declared three days of mourning.
The incident has exposed the risks faced by children drawn into Niger’s mining industry. A separate DAILY POST investigation found that poverty has pushed some children out of school and into gold mining, with some reportedly starting as young as 10.
Niger State is rich in gold and other minerals, including tantalite, copper and lithium. The scramble for its mineral resources has also been linked by officials and experts to criminal activity and violence around mining sites.
A 2024 SwissAid report found that much of the gold mined illegally in the region enters global supply chains after being smuggled through the United Arab Emirates.
For children, however, the crisis begins much earlier: poverty and limited educational opportunities can push them towards hazardous mining work, exposing them to risks that extend from the mining pits to the circumstances surrounding their detention.
