The names of 37 suspected illegal miners who reportedly died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State have emerged.
The list was released by the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) following the deaths of detainees arrested during NSCDC operations around the Lt. Gen. Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna, the state capital.
The suspects were arrested during operations conducted on September 15 and 16, 2026. The NSCDC later reported that several detainees were found dead in the early hours of September 17.
The corps had attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, while stating that medical examinations would be required to establish the actual cause.
The incident prompted the federal government to suspend officers connected to the matter and establish an independent committee to investigate the arrests, detention of the suspects and circumstances surrounding the deaths.
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According to reports, the IHRC compiled the names from records obtained from the General Hospital, Minna.
Awaisu Giwa, the commission’s International Peace Ambassador, said the initial list was obtained through the hospital’s mortuary attendant following an instruction from the Chief Medical Director.
He added that four additional names were subsequently provided after relatives of victims who were not initially listed contacted the commission.
Giwa said the list would also help the commission in efforts to facilitate compensation for the families of the deceased.
The 37 names released are:
1. Ibrahim Sani
2. Fahad Sa’adu
3. Abdulsalam Ismail
4. Usman Aliyu
5. Abubakar Alhaji
6. Sani Nasir
7. Sanusi Khalid
8. Ahmad Aliyu
9. Safiyanu Abdullahi
10. Suleiman Dantala
11. Idris Haruna
12. Sani Yakubu
13. Safiyanu Abubakar
14. Abdullahi Abubakar
15. Abubakar Musa
16. Abdul Mudassir
17. Suleiman Lawal
18. Usman Abdullahi
19. Samuel Sambo
20. Ibrahim Musa
21. Yusuf Nasiru
22. Umar Lawal
23. Isyaku Amisu
24. Bissallah Adamu
25. Abdulbari Suleiman
26. Shafisu Lado
27. Usman Ahmad
28. Usman Ibrahim
29. Sani Isyaku
30. Musa Ibrahim
31. Idris Bashir
32. Kabiru Suleiman
33. Emmanuel Emeka
34. Mu’awiya AbdulKarim
35. Abdul Gafar Abubakar
36. Usman Haruna
37. Yaro Salihu Soba
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