Nigeria president orders prosecution over illegal miners' deaths

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has ordered the prosecution of any officials found culpable in the deaths of dozens of suspected illegal miners while in the custody of a security agency in the country's central Niger State.

According to local authorities, at least 33 suspected illegal miners who were in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and undergoing investigation were found dead at a detention facility in the state capital, Minna, early Thursday.

In a statement, Tinubu expressed deep concern over the deaths and mourned the miners, saying the life of every Nigerian matters and that no citizen should lose their life while in government custody due to negligence, abuse, inhumane treatment or dereliction of duty.

"Where the investigation establishes that any official, through action, abuse or negligence, contributed to these deaths, such an officer must be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law," Tinubu said, calling for "accountability" as the investigation into the deaths continues.

The suspected illegal miners were arrested during separate raids in the Wushishi-Lukoto axis on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of efforts to curb illegal mining activities in the state, the Niger State command of the NSCDC said in another statement.

While the cause of the deaths remains unknown, the NSCDC said they could be linked to a disease outbreak, pending medical and laboratory confirmation.

Local sources said the detainees might have died from excessive heat, noting that people under investigation are often held in overcrowded cells with poor ventilation in Nigeria.

The remains of the deceased have been sent to a health facility for examination to determine the cause of death.