The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has suspended 20 officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in connection with the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the Corps’ custody in Niger State.

The Niger State Commandant of the NSCDC, Suberu Aniviye, was also suspended earlier over the incident.

The suspensions were announced by the Ministry of Interior in a statement signed by Tunji-Ojo on Saturday, pending the conclusion of an independent investigation into the deaths.

The minister also constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the incident, which occurred on Thursday, September 17, 2026.

The committee is expected to establish the identities of the deceased and investigate the circumstances surrounding their arrest and detention, as well as determine the cause of their deaths.

It was also mandated to determine responsibility, complicity, negligence or misconduct and recommend appropriate sanctions and compensation where applicable.

The 20 other NSCDC officers suspended are:

O/C Station Guard, SC Usman Isah Ndamaka

Station Guard, ASCI Hassan Mohammed

Station Guard, CCA Bala Mohammed

Arresting Officer/O/C Investigation, CSC Oluwadare Sunday

Arresting Officer, DCC Obafemi Elvis

Arresting Officer, CSC Annas Shitto Lamino

HOD INT/INV, DCC Philip Ajayi

O/C Legal, ACC Barr. Stephen Tsado

Night Duty Officer, ASCI Alhassan Mohammed

Guard Duty, IC Abdullahi Sale

Guard Duty, IC Mohammed Sonfada

Guard Duty, CAI Liman Abubakar

Guard Duty, CAI Bala Usman

Guard Duty, IC Mohammed Jiya

Guard Duty, DSC Isah Suleiman

Guard Duty, CAI Ahmed Wushishi

Guard Duty, IC Sale Adamu

Guard Duty, IC Haruna Mohammed

Guard Duty, ASCI Aliyu Sallah

Guard Duty, CAI Isah Sanusi

The deceased were among scores of suspected illegal miners arrested by the NSCDC Niger State Command during enforcement operations in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of the state on September 15 and 16.

The Corps said the operation was conducted as part of efforts to curb illegal mining activities, adding that various exhibits were recovered during the arrests.

On September 17, some of the detainees were found dead while in NSCDC custody in Minna.

The NSCDC initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, saying the bodies had been taken to the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination to determine the actual cause of death.

However, the cause of the deaths remains officially unconfirmed.

A survivor, Dauda Shehu, told journalists that detainees were kept in a poorly ventilated cell where they struggled to breathe. The claim has not been established as the official cause of death.

Another survivor alleged that a substance resembling perfume was sprayed inside an overcrowded cell shortly before some detainees began collapsing.

The deaths triggered protests in Minna, following which the Niger State Government imposed a curfew to contain the unrest.

Governor Umar Bago also confirmed the death toll and ordered a state-level inquiry into the incident.

President Bola Tinubu subsequently directed a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.