37 Miners’ Deaths: NSCDC Detains Three More Officers, Total Rises To 24

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has disclosed that it has detained three additional personnel over the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in its custody in Niger State.

Naija News reports that the latest arrests brings the total number of officers being held in connection with the incident to 24 following the deaths of the miners.

In a statement on Sunday, the NSCDC spokesperson, Assistant Commandant of Corps, Babawale Afolabi, said the corps also ordered its flag to be flown at half-mast across all formations for three days beginning Sunday in honour of the deceased.

The NSCDC spokesperson said three additional personnel identified during ongoing investigations have now been suspended and taken into custody.

Afolabi noted that all the affected officers and men of the Niger State command had been moved to the NSCDC National Headquarters in Abuja for interrogation and administrative disciplinary action.

He said, “As against the initial figure of 21 personnel, three more personnel identified have also been placed on suspension, thereby bringing the total to 24 personnel.

“They are among the officers paraded at the Corps Headquarters.”

According to him, the personnel would also be made available to the Presidential Independent Investigation Committee (PIIC) and other investigation panels for further investigation and possible prosecution.

He said, “In a swift and decisive joint operation conducted in conjunction with the Commandant General’s Special Investigation Squad, all officers and men of the Niger State Command linked to the gross misconduct have since 17th September 2026 been taken into protective custody at the National Headquarters, Abuja, where they are undergoing rigorous interrogation and administrative disciplinary action, to make them available for the Presidential Independent Investigation Committee and other investigation panels for further investigation and possible prosecution.”

The development came 24 hours after the Federal Government constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the reported deaths.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had announced the committee on Saturday following President Bola Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive, transparent and unhindered investigation into the incident, which occurred on Thursday, September 17, 2026.

Tunji-Ojo also ordered the suspension of all officers allegedly involved in the incident.