Investigation finds illegal gold miners died from inhumane detention conditions in Nigeria

An investigative commission in Nigeria has determined that the deaths of about thirty-three illegal gold miners in September resulted from inhumane detention conditions. The victims, many of them minors, were found dead in Minna, the capital of Niger State, inside facilities operated by the Corps of security and civil defence, a paramilitary group that works with the police. Survivors recounted being crammed into poorly ventilated cells, with one survivor describing the deployment of gas by guards.

The commission’s head, Jonathan Kure, labeled the circumstances as cruel, inhuman and degrading, citing extreme overcrowding, illegal detention practices, and a systemic failure to act on repeated alerts. Initial official counts listed thirty-seven deaths, but the commission corrected the figure to thirty-three. The incident sparked violent protests in the state capital, which were dispersed by police using firearms.