Niger gov questions number of miners arrested before 37 deaths

Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has expressed doubts about the reported number of suspected miners arrested by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) following the deaths of 37 individuals in custody. Bago stated that approximately 67 people were arrested and detained in three cells, with 37 dying in the cell housing male detainees.

He suggested that the deaths might have resulted from suffocation due to overcrowding or potentially from hazardous substances at the mining site, such as radiation or lead poisoning. The governor emphasized that the exact cause has not yet been established and that investigations are underway, including medical examinations and biopsies on the bodies.

Bago also noted that some bodies displayed signs of severe burns, foaming at the mouth, and blood coming from the nose and mouth, indicating potential trauma or poisoning. He stressed the need for improved collaboration between federal agencies and state governments, as well as more transparent information sharing, to prevent similar incidents.

The incident has raised concerns about the maximum number of detainees that can be held in a cell and the accuracy of the arrest figures.