Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, has said forensic examinations and autopsies will be conducted to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Bago disclosed this on Friday, September 18, 2026, when the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, paid a condolence visit to the state over the incident.
The deceased were reportedly arrested a day earlier over suspected illegal mining activities and were subsequently found dead in NSCDC custody in the early hours of Friday.
According to a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP ANI INIEDU, Bago said the incident had caused serious unrest in the state, prompting the government to put measures in place to ensure a seamless investigation.
He said forensic examinations and autopsies would assist in establishing the cause of the deaths, while assuring the relevant security agencies of the state government’s full support in the investigation.
The governor thanked the Inspector-General for his prompt intervention and condolence visit, as the state grapples with the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Disu, who commiserated with the government and people of Niger State, described the incident as a tragedy requiring urgent action.
He assured Bago and the people of the state that the Police would leave no stone unturned in investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The IGP called for close cooperation between the Police, the NSCDC leadership in the state and the committee constituted by the state government to investigate the incident.
He stressed that deaths in lawful custody constituted a grave matter that could not be treated lightly, particularly as the circumstances surrounding the deaths remained unexplained.
Disu also appealed to residents, particularly the families of the deceased, to remain calm and law-abiding, warning that violence could further compound the situation.
He assured that the investigation would be conducted in accordance with the rule of law, due process, transparency and respect for human rights.
The IGP’s visit followed growing concern over the deaths, with the Police saying it would collaborate with relevant authorities to unravel what led to the loss of the 37 lives.
