Nigeria: At least 37 suspected illegal miners die in custody
Dozens of suspects accused of illegal mining were found dead in custody in Nigeria's north-central Niger State. Officials blame disease, while reports cite overcrowding and poor ventilation.
In Niger State, Nigeria, 37 people suspected of being illegal miners died while in custody of the country's civil defence corps. The governor of the state, Mohammed Umaru Bago, confirmed the deaths and announced a committee of inquiry into the incident.
According to the civil defence, the deaths were caused by disease, but an intelligence report suggested that overcrowding and poor ventilation may have been the cause. The incident has triggered protests in the state capital, Minna, where cars and other belongings were damaged.
The governor has declared three days of mourning and postponed the start of campaigning for elections due in January. An investigation into the deaths has been launched by the police.
Brief written by urgent.news from DW News, Gulf News — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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