By Staff, Agencies

Families of 37 artisanal miners who died while in the custody of Nigerian security authorities have demanded justice, accountability and the return of their confiscated belongings, insisting that no financial compensation can make up for the loss of their loved ones.

The miners, some of whom were teenagers, died in September while being detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps [NSCDC] in Minna, Niger State, following their arrest on suspicion of illegal mining.

A presidential investigative panel concluded that overcrowding, extreme heat, dehydration and neglect were responsible for the deaths, dismissing earlier suggestions that a disease outbreak had caused the tragedy.

Dantala Tanko, whose 25-year-old son, Suleiman, was among those killed, told Anadolu that his family continues to struggle with the emotional consequences of the loss.

“Losing my son has been devastating. It is difficult to accept that he is no longer with us, and our family is still struggling to cope with the pain of his death,” he said.

Another bereaved parent, Zainab Salihu, said no amount of money could replace her son and called on the government to ensure accountability.

“All I want is to see my son back. I suffered to give birth to him and to also raise him. He cannot just die like that and the government wants me to just move on,” she said.

The findings were presented earlier this week to Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo by Jonathan Kure, chairman of the Independent Investigative Committee and a retired deputy director-general of the Department of State Services.

According to the report obtained by Anadolu, the committee recommended compensation amounting to 1.4 billion naira [approximately $1 million] for the families of the deceased and the survivors.

It also recommended the dismissal of the NSCDC’s Niger State commandant and other officers directly implicated in the incident, alongside broader institutional reforms.

Survivors have similarly called for disciplinary measures against those responsible for the deaths.

Tunji-Ojo said the government had forwarded the investigative report to the attorney-general for immediate judicial action. However, authorities have yet to specify when the proposed compensation will be distributed.

The deaths triggered protests and renewed public concern over detention conditions, the treatment of suspects and accountability within Nigeria’s security institutions.

The NSCDC is tasked with protecting critical national infrastructure and supporting internal security operations, including efforts to combat illegal mining.