Nigeria: 37 Detainees Found Dead After Raids; Protesters Shot At In Minna

Security forces opened fire in Minna, the capital of Niger State in central Nigeria, on Friday as hundreds of protesters demanded justice over the deaths of 37 detainees held by a paramilitary agency, witnesses said.

The victims were found dead on Thursday in cells of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), which had raided suspected illegal gold mines in the Wushishi-Lukoto area west of Minna between September 15 and 16 and detained dozens of miners.

Anger over the deaths spilled into clashes overnight and through Friday. Witnesses saw security personnel fire live rounds as protesters, some carrying sticks, machetes and traditional hunting rifles, called for accountability. Some demonstrators attempted to set government buildings alight in the Tunga neighbourhood. At least one body lay in the streets, and soldiers and police patrolled the city to restore order.

"We are not thieves - we are simply seeking a way to make a living by mining," said Yusuf Auwal, a miner who joined the protests.

The NSCDC initially suggested a suspected disease outbreak might have caused the deaths, but later said the cause had not been established and would be determined through medical examinations.

Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo ordered the immediate suspension of Niger State's NSCDC commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, pending the outcome of a full investigation. The Interior Ministry described the incident as unfortunate and said a thorough probe would be conducted while the commandant remains suspended.

The victims were buried late on Thursday in line with Islamic tradition, raising questions about whether or how authorities could carry out further forensic examinations to determine what killed them.

Shafa'atu Suleiman, the mother of one of the detainees, said outside a hospital on Thursday that she had visited her son Abdullahi in detention and found him in a cramped NSCDC cell before later learning he had died. She said officials had refused to let relatives deliver food to the detainees and demanded 100,000 naira ($75) for their release. "This is injustice. We will not forgive them," she said. NSCDC officials did not respond to repeated requests for comment on her accusations.

Nigeria has for years sought to curb unauthorised mining at thousands of informal sites across the country. Authorities say illegal mining damages the environment and deprives the government of revenue.