Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has confirmed that 37 suspected illegal miners died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna.

The victims were among dozens of suspects arrested during operations targeting illegal mining activities in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of the state on September 15 and 16.

According to Daily Trust, the NSCDC disclosed that the deaths were discovered in the early hours of Thursday, with the Niger State Command initially attributing the incident to a suspected disease outbreak.

The actual cause of death, however, has yet to be established, and the bodies have since been deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination and autopsy.

The NSCDC had earlier said the detainees were possibly victims of a diphtheria outbreak, a serious bacterial infection that can be fatal.

But the agency’s national headquarters later said the cause had not been established and would require medical and laboratory tests.

“The NSCDC wishes to clarify that reports attributing the deaths to any specific disease remain subject to medical and laboratory confirmation,” it added in a statement.

Governor Bago announced that an investigation had been launched into the incident and declared three days of mourning in honour of the victims.

He also cancelled an APC political rally that had been scheduled to hold in Minna on Saturday.

The governor further disclosed that the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, had been suspended alongside other officials linked to the incident, pending the outcome of investigations.

Meanwhile, the NSCDC Commandant-General, Ahmed Audi, has directed the setting up of a high-powered investigative team to determine the circumstances that led to the deaths.

The panel is expected to look into the condition of the suspects at the point of arrest, the length of time they spent in custody, the conditions under which they were detained, and the medical attention made available to them.

The Corps has warned against speculation, insisting that any claims linking the deaths to a specific disease remain subject to medical and laboratory confirmation.

The incident has also triggered a police investigation, with authorities appealing for calm as efforts continue to establish exactly what transpired.