Niger State Governor Umaru Bago has said the deaths of 37 artisanal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have attracted significant local and international attention as investigations into the incident continue.
Bago made the statement on Tuesday when he received a delegation of traditional rulers led by the Etsu Nupe and Chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, at the Government House in Minna.
The governor described the deaths as unfortunate while thanking traditional rulers across the state for helping to maintain peace following the incident and the unrest that followed.
The 37 miners died after they were arrested during security operations targeting suspected illegal mining activities in Niger State and detained at an NSCDC facility in Minna.
According to reports, 67 artisanal and suspected illegal miners were taken into custody during operations around the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas on September 15 and 16, with 37 subsequently reported dead.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths have not been conclusively established, with authorities investigating several possible explanations including overcrowding, suffocation and exposure to hazardous substances associated with mining.
Bago previously said forensic examinations, medical examinations and autopsies were being conducted to establish the scientific cause of death and cautioned against drawing conclusions before the investigations are completed.
The governor also said the state government had not been informed about the arrests before the deaths became known, explaining that the security agencies involved were under the control of the Federal Government.
Following the incident, President Bola Tinubu ordered a full and transparent investigation covering the circumstances of the arrests, the conditions in which the detainees were held, the number of people in the facility, the medical attention provided and the events leading to the deaths.
The President also directed the Ministry of Interior and NSCDC leadership to cooperate with investigators and ensure that no official interferes with the process or attempts to prevent the facts from being established.
The NSCDC subsequently suspended its Niger State Commandant, while police investigators took over the scene and began forensic work as part of the wider investigation.
The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has also deployed a team of experts to Niger State to investigate the deaths and examine the circumstances surrounding the mining operation and detention of the victims.
The tragedy has generated public concern beyond Niger State, with protests taking place in Minna and authorities imposing a curfew after unrest followed the discovery of the deaths.
Bago had earlier appealed to residents and youths to avoid violence, while stressing that the state government would continue working with federal authorities to establish what happened.
The governor also announced the suspension of mining activities across Niger State pending the outcome of investigations, amid concerns over unsafe and illegal mining practices.
At the meeting with traditional rulers, Bago particularly appreciated the Emirs and other traditional institutions for helping to keep their communities calm during the period of heightened tension.
The Etsu Nupe described the deaths as tragic and offered prayers for the deceased while urging stakeholders to comply with laws and regulations governing mining and other activities in their communities.
The incident has also intensified attention on the broader challenges surrounding artisanal and illegal mining in Nigeria, including safety standards, environmental hazards, regulation and the protection of people detained during enforcement operations.
For now, authorities have yet to publish a definitive scientific explanation for the 37 deaths, making the findings of the ongoing forensic and investigative processes central to determining what happened and whether responsibility should be assigned.