The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and the local chapter of the Transparency International have called for an independent and transparent investigation into the deaths of 37 illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.
The two organisations made the call on Saturday, while also demanding accountability for any NSCDC officer found to have contributed to the death of the miniers.
The victims were among scores of people arrested during an NSCDC operation against illegal mining activities in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Minna on September 15 and 16, 2026.
Their deaths were discovered in the early hours of September 17.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Auwal Rafsanjani, CISLAC expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and stressed that allegations of illegal mining cannot justify violations of the rights of people held in state custody.
“Every person in the custody of the Nigerian state retains fundamental human rights, including the rights to life, dignity, and protection from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment,” the organisation said.
CISLAC acknowledged measures already announced by the authorities, including the suspension of the Niger State NSCDC commandant and other officers, alongside investigations by relevant government agencies.
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However, the organisation said the probe must be sufficiently independent and transparent to establish what happened and determine responsibility.
It called for the involvement of the National Human Rights Commission, civil society representatives and forensic experts in the investigation.
CISLAC also demanded that the findings of the probe, including relevant detention records and medical reports, be made public.
The organisation said any officer or official found to have contributed to the deaths through negligence, abuse of power or other unlawful conduct should face prosecution, stressing that administrative sanctions alone would not be sufficient where criminal responsibility is established.
Beyond the immediate investigation, CISLAC called for a wider review of Nigeria’s mining regulatory and enforcement systems, particularly measures aimed at protecting vulnerable communities.
According to the organisation, illegal mining and child exploitation are being driven by factors including poverty, unemployment, inadequate access to education, insecurity, weak social protection, regulatory failures and poor enforcement of mining and child-labour laws.
The organisation urged the government to improve detention conditions nationwide by providing adequate ventilation, medical care, food and water and ensuring compliance with established capacity and human-rights standards.
It also called for appropriate compensation, psychosocial support and other forms of redress for the families of the deceased and survivors.
CISLAC further urged authorities to review the treatment of artisanal miners and enforcement of mining regulations, saying efforts to tackle illegal mining should address its underlying causes without criminalising poverty.
“The Nigerian state has a sacred duty to protect the lives of all citizens, including those in its custody. Anything less erodes public trust and the rule of law,” CISLAC said.
The organisation said it would continue to monitor developments and engage relevant authorities to push for institutional reforms, stronger regulatory oversight and accountability over the incident.
