Nigeria Probes Deaths of Detained Miners in Niger State

In September 2026, dozens of miners died while in the custody of Nigeria's Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State. Survivors said 67 miners were crowded into a single cell, where they struggled to breathe in extreme heat and cramped conditions; 37 died, according to officials and survivors, while other reports put the toll at 40. President Bola Tinubu ordered an investigation and the prosecution of officials linked to the deaths, and Alake, a government minister, sent a team to probe what happened. Protests over the deaths were met with gunfire by security forces.