37 illegal miners die in NSCDC custody, 20 at Taraba site

•Investigation begins as questions trail deaths in Niger custody

•Search intensifies for miners feared buried in pit

At least 37 suspected illegal miners have died in two separate incidents in Niger and Taraba states, raising fresh concerns over the dangers surrounding illegal mining and the conditions under which enforcement operations are carried out.

In Niger State, the deaths occurred after suspected illegal miners were arrested by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) during enforcement operations. In Taraba, more than 20 miners are feared dead or trapped after a mining pit collapsed at Mayo-Kam community in Bali Local Government Area.

The Niger incident has triggered investigations, with the NSCDC and police moving to establish how the detainees died. The Taraba disaster, meanwhile, has left rescuers searching for victims believed to be buried under tonnes of earth.

The suspected illegal miners in Niger were arrested during operations conducted on September 15 and 16 around the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas. The NSCDC Niger State Command said detainees were found dead in the early hours of September 17.

Initial reports from the Corps attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak. However, the NSCDC national headquarters stressed that the actual cause had not been established and that medical and laboratory examinations would be required. The bodies were taken to General Hospital, Minna, for examination.

The NSCDC Commandant-General, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, subsequently ordered a high-powered investigation into the incident.

The panel, led by the Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation, is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths, including the condition of the detainees when they were arrested, their period in custody, detention conditions and medical attention provided.

The Niger State Police Command has also opened an investigation and asked relatives and members of the public with credible information to assist investigators.

The reported figure of 37 has also been given by Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, who announced three days of mourning for the victims. An Associated Press report said a survivor alleged that the detainees were held in an overcrowded and poorly ventilated cell, while officials have not confirmed that account as the cause of the deaths.

The circumstances surrounding the Niger deaths remain subject to the outcome of the medical and security investigations.

In Taraba State, the second tragedy occurred Thursday afternoon when a mining pit collapsed at Mayo-Kam community in Bali Local Government Area.

More than 20 people, including women and children, are feared dead or trapped beneath the collapsed earth. Residents said many of those believed to have been caught in the disaster were from Mayo-Kam.

A community source, Saidu Baba Bali, said the miners were inside the pit when it suddenly collapsed. Community leader Mallam Usman Bello also said the disaster had plunged the community into mourning.

The Taraba State Police Command confirmed that five bodies had been recovered as of the latest reports. Police spokesperson Victor Mshelizah said the actual number of casualties had not been established because search and rescue operations were still underway.

Emergency responders, security personnel and community volunteers have continued searching the site for people who may still be trapped beneath the debris.

The Taraba State Government had not issued an official statement on the collapse at the time of reporting.

The disaster comes despite renewed government efforts to curb unauthorised mining in the state. Taraba suspended mining activities across the state in June, citing security concerns, while the government has since intensified enforcement against illegal operators.

Earlier in July, the state’s Anti-Illegal Mining Task Force raided a gold-mining site at Mayo-Kam in Gantu village, also in Bali Local Government Area. Most of the suspected miners reportedly escaped into nearby forests because of the difficult terrain, while two were arrested.

A recent investigation by Premium Times also reported that Taraba loses more than N10 billion annually to illegal mining despite three executive orders aimed at stopping unauthorised operations. The report identified Bali among several local government areas affected by persistent illegal mining.

The two incidents have now brought the human cost of illegal mining into sharp focus, with authorities facing separate tasks of establishing what caused the Niger deaths and determining the full casualty figure in the Taraba collapse.

While the Niger investigation is expected to establish what happened to the detained miners, rescue workers in Taraba are still racing against time to recover those buried in the collapsed pit.