# Dozens of suspected illegal miners die in Nigerian custody

https://mins.news/en/item/64100

- BBC News, 2026-09-18 10:35 UTC
- Society
- Original: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw980qp2n3p4o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

> Thirty-seven people accused of illegal mining in Nigeria’s Niger state died in an NSCDC detention facility, officials said. The agency initially linked the deaths to a possible disease outbreak, but an intelligence report and relatives blamed overcrowding and poor ventilation. Police are investigating, an NSCDC commander has been detained, and the bodies are due for examination.

## Related coverage

- [Thirty-seven illegal miners die in Nigerian custody](https://mins.news/en/video/64307) — BBC News, 2026-09-18
- [Nigeria: At least 37 suspected illegal miners die in custody](https://mins.news/en/item/63639) — DW, 2026-09-18
- [37 suspected illegal miners die in custody in central Nigeria](https://mins.news/en/item/63471) — France 24, 2026-09-18