'Dem allegedly spray Niger state miners wit unidentified substance bifor dia deaths' – Govnor Bago

Niger state govnor Mohammed Umaru Bago for one interview tell BBC about di last moment of di 37 alleged illegal miners wey die for di detention of di Nigeria Security Civil Service Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Di govnor tell BBC say some survivors tok say dem spray detainees wit one unidentified substance bifor dia deaths.

"Di survivor wey dey di DSS facility tok say one man bin come dia cell wit di detained miners and spray somtin like perfume on dem and pipo start to dey cough and begin dey choke," e tok.

E say oda pipo tok say dem struggle to breathe becos of lack of air for di cell wia dem hold dem.

BBC neva independently verify di accounts.

Di govnor bin describe swollen bodis and peeling skins as part of wetin e see as di condition of di dead illegal miners wey bin dey for di state NSCDC detention facility afta tori break.

For di interview wit BBC, e say im no know about di di arrests, say im just rush go di area, afta e hear say pipo don die for di facility

"37 pipo die, upon getting dia, we confam say dem don die. Some we bin see say dia skin dey peel, some we see say dem don swell, some bin get foam for mouth, some sef bin dey bleed from dia noses and mouth, and dat na wetin make us raise alarm.

"So we gatz call medical attention. Na so dem carry dem go mortuary for di general hospital wey I bin don get permission to get dem. Dem come do autopsy for some of dem and medical team collect samples t find out wetin be di cause," Govnor Bago tok.

Di govnor tok say di state govment dey try establish exactly wetin happun, as e clear am say im no dey aware of di miners' arrests or di conditions for which dem take hold dem.

Oga Bago also clear am say make nobody hold di state govment responsible for di deaths, as di Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) na federal agency and no be state govment dey control am.

"NSCDC no need my permission as govnor to do dia arrest, especially wen e dey for dia jurisdiction".

Di Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) bin arrest di suspected illegal miners for wetin dem call "burst operation" on 15th and 16th September 2026.

Howeva, by di next dey wey be 17 September, dem bin admit say many of di pipo wey dem arrest don die for custody.

Even as dem say dem still dey find di cause of death, di NSCDC blame di deaths on suspected out break of diseases.

Howeva, di Niger state govnor bin no repeat di allegation of sickness as wetin kill di detained miners.

E tell BBC say, "some of di pipo wey survive say dem spray dem sometin like pepper. E fit be say dem teargas dem or sometin... pesin come carry sometin wey be like perfume spray for dem na so pipo start to dey cough and pipo start to dey choke".

Nigeria govment suspend 20 NSCDC officials ova death of miners

Meanwhile. di Nigeria govment don order di suspension of 20 officers in connection wit di reported deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners for NSCDC custody for Niger state, pending di conclusion of di investigation.

Di Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo wey announce di informate for statement on im official X account tok say, e follow di directibe of President Bola Tinubu wey order for comprehensive, transparent and unhindered investigation into di incident, wey happun on Thursday, 17 September.

E reveal di names of di suspended officers and add say di Niger State Commandant of di Corps follow chop suspension.

Dem include:

1.O/C Station Guard, SC Usman Isah Ndamaka

2.Station Guard, ASCI Hassan Mohammed

3.Station Guard, CCA Bala Mohammed

4.Arresting Officer/O/C Investigation, CSC Oluwadare Sunday

5.Arresting Officer, DCC Obafemi Elvis

6.Arresting Officer, CSC Annas Shitto Lamino

7.HOD INT/INV, DCC Philip Ajayi

8.O/C Legal, ACC Barr. Stephen Tsado

http://9.Day/Night Duty Officer, ASCI Alhassan Mohammed

10.Guard Duty, IC Abdullahi Sale

11.Guard Duty, IC Mohammed Sonfada

12.Guard Duty, CAI Liman Abubakar

13.Guard Duty, CAI Bala Usman

14.Guard Duty, IC Mohammed Jiya

15.Guard Duty, DSC Isah Suleiman

16.Guard Duty, CAI Ahmed Wushishi

17.Guard Duty, IC Sale Adamu

18.Guard Duty, IC Haruna Mohammed

19.Guard Duty, ASCI Aliyu Sallah

20.Guard Duty, CAI Isah Sanusi

Nigeria govment set up 10-man committee to torchlight death of di suspected illegal miners

Di Nigerian govment also don set up one 10 man independent committee wey e give two weeks to torchlight di mata and submit to di Ministry of Interior.

According to statement from di ministry, e tok say di move dey come afta President Bola Tinubu bin ask for comprehensive, transparent and unhindered investigation into wetin happun on Thursday.

Dem say, "di Minister of Interior Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo don arrange ten member independent committee to investigate di reported death of 37 pipo wey die for di custody of NSCDC afta dem arrest dem for suspicion of illegal mining".

Di work of di committee go be to find out who di dead pipo be, and investigate dia arrests, detention and di tin wey cause dia deaths.

Dem also get di work to find who dey responsible, get hand onside neglect or commit misconduct and recommend wetin dem go do dose kain pipo and also recommend di compensation wia e dey needed and steps to take so dis kain tin no go happun again.

Di minister also drag ear for di NSCDC leadership to cooperate wit di investigation or else e go red for dem.

Di members of di panels na: