A panel set up by the federal government of Nigeria to investigate the circumstances that led to the death of 37 illegal miners at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps’ detention facility has recommended N30 million in compensation for each victim’s family and N10 million for each of the 41 survivors.
In its reports submitted to the Internal Affairs Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo on Tuesday, 27th October, 2026 in Abuja, the Chairman of the Committee, Jonathan Kure, described their deaths as “entirely preventable.”
He disclosed that their deaths were as a result of severe overcrowding, deprivation of basic necessities, poor ventilation, neglect and ignored warnings.
The investigating committee, set up after the deaths last month sparked commotion and conversations in Nigeria. NSCDC had earlier claimed that their death was a product of an outbreak of disease, which was roundly rejected.
The deaths, included many teenagers working in artisanal gold mines, later led to a protest which raised concerns about most detention facilities in the country.
“The tragedy demonstrates the consequences of systemic disregard for detention standards, supervisory responsibilities, and the welfare of persons in custody,” Kure said after his committee reviewed evidence, including detention records, autopsies, hospital reports and communication logs.
According to the reports, evidence showed the victims died from asphyxia, an acute respiratory failure caused by prolonged confinement in a severely overcrowded, poorly ventilated cell, worsened by heat stress and dehydration.
He added that “the evidence did not support claims that the deaths resulted from a disease outbreak,” Kure reiterated.
The death occurred on the 17th September, 2026 after Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), a paramilitary organization, detained the suspects on grounds of illegally mining gold.
This led to the suspension of some senior NSCDC officials pending the determination of the investigation.
Illegal gold mining has been the mainstay of some faceless individuals in theNorth Cental Nigeria.