MINNA, NIGERIA — Authorities in Minna have imposed an indefinite overnight curfew following violent clashes that erupted on Friday, as hundreds of protesters took to the streets to demand justice for the deaths of 37 detainees held by a paramilitary force.
The unrest was triggered by the discovery of 37 bodies on Thursday within the cells of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The victims, many of whom were children, had been arrested during a series of raids on suspected illegal gold mines in the Wushishi-Lukoto area between September 15 and 16.
By Friday afternoon, the situation in the capital of Niger State had devolved into chaos. Security forces fired live rounds into the air and at crowds to disperse demonstrators, some of whom were armed with machetes, sticks, and traditional hunting rifles. A Reuters witness reported seeing at least one person dead on the ground as the 6 p.m. curfew deadline approached. Protesters, fueled by grief and outrage, had earlier attempted to set fire to several government buildings in the Tunga neighborhood.
“We are not thieves. We are simply seeking a way to make a living by mining,” said Yusuf Auwal, a miner who joined the protest.
Niger State Governor Umar Bago confirmed that many of the deceased were minors, aged 14 to 18. Expressing deep concern over the tragedy, Bago noted the broader societal failure that led to the youths’ presence in the mines, stating, “There are issues of illegal mining, and it is taking a toll on our children.”
The NSCDC, a paramilitary agency under the interior ministry tasked with protecting strategic infrastructure, initially suggested that a disease outbreak in the cells might be responsible for the deaths. However, the agency later retracted that claim, stating that the cause of death remains undetermined and awaits formal medical examination.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a full-scale investigation into the incident. While the government has already suspended the Niger State NSCDC commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, the President insisted that administrative suspensions are merely a preliminary measure. “There must be accountability,” Tinubu stated, vowing that any officials found responsible for the deaths will face prosecution.
The quest for answers is complicated by the haste with which the victims were buried. The bodies were interred late Thursday in accordance with Islamic tradition, leading to immediate public concerns regarding the ability of authorities to conduct necessary forensic examinations to determine if the detainees were victims of neglect, abuse, or other causes.
As of Friday evening, security forces have restored a fragile order to the city, enforcing the curfew as investigations begin into one of the most harrowing security incidents in the region in recent years.
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