Between September 15 and 16, operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) raided suspected illegal mining sites west of Minna and detained about 65 artisanal miners. By the early hours of September 17, dozens were dead inside an NSCDC detention facility along David Mark Road, Minna. Hospital footage showed 33 bodies in one ward, and the Niger State governor subsequently confirmed that 37 detainees had died. While the official explanation initially pointed to a suspected disease outbreak, survivors described a severely overcrowded facility. Civil society organisations are demanding an overhaul of the mining sector, citing illegal operations and revenue flight.
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