Calls for a thorough investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have intensified following allegations by survivors that an unidentified substance was sprayed inside their overcrowded detention cell.
The latest call was made by Sulaiman Uwaisu Idris, who raised questions over the identity of the substance allegedly sprayed on the detainees shortly before some of them began collapsing.
In a post on X, Idris said survivors alleged that the detainees were locked inside a small and overcrowded room before an unidentified substance with a smell resembling perfume was sprayed inside.
According to the survivors’ accounts reported by Channels Television and Punch, 17 people were initially held in the room before additional detainees were brought in. The survivors said they complained about the heat and overcrowding, while one alleged that the substance was sprayed shortly before people began collapsing. The identity and nature of the substance remain unconfirmed.
Idris called on the independent committee investigating the deaths to establish exactly what was sprayed in the detention facility and whether it contributed to the fatalities.
He also referenced a February 2026 allegation by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai concerning the alleged importation of thallium sulphate into Nigeria and an allegation linking the Office of the National Security Adviser to the matter.
However, the allegation was denied by the Office of the National Security Adviser, which said the matter had been referred to the State Security Service for investigation.
There is currently no established evidence linking the substance allegedly sprayed in the NSCDC cell to the chemical referenced in El-Rufai’s earlier allegation.
The Federal Government has constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the deaths and determine what happened to the detainees.
The committee, chaired by retired DSS Deputy Director-General Jonathan Kure, includes lawyer and human rights activist Deji Adeyanju, among others.
Its mandate includes establishing the identities of the deceased, investigating their arrest and detention, determining the cause and circumstances of their deaths, and establishing whether there was responsibility, negligence, misconduct or complicity.
The committee has also been empowered to access relevant records and evidence, visit locations connected with the incident and seek information from members of the public. It has two weeks to submit its report.
The deaths occurred after suspected illegal miners were arrested during NSCDC operations in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16.
The NSCDC initially said the deaths followed a suspected disease outbreak, while medical and forensic examinations were expected to establish the actual cause. The survivor accounts have introduced additional questions concerning overcrowding, ventilation, heat and the alleged spraying of an unidentified substance.
The Federal Government has suspended the Niger State NSCDC commandant and 20 other officers pending the outcome of the investigation.
As the committee begins its work, questions over what happened inside the detention facility including the identity and effect of the substance allegedly sprayed there are expected to form part of the evidence investigators examine.
For now, the allegations remain unproven, and the committee’s findings will be critical in establishing the factual cause and circumstances of the deaths.
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