Society News

37 young miners die in a Nigerian civil defence cell; Minna protests met with teargas

Thirty-seven suspected illegal goldminers, many of them children, were found dead on Thursday, September 17, in cells of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, capital of Niger state, The Guardian reported. The paramilitary agency had raided suspected illegal mines and locked up dozens of miners. Niger state governor Umar Bago said many of the dead were aged 14 to 18.

The NSCDC first blamed a disease outbreak, but an intelligence report seen by AFP pointed to overcrowding and poor ventilation. Al Jazeera noted the agency later said the cause was yet to be confirmed, and that all of the dead were buried on Thursday evening, raising doubts about post-mortems.

“We were jam-packed in the cell, no ventilation for us to breathe well.” — survivor Dauda Shehu, via The Guardian and Al Jazeera

Protests began on Thursday night. On Friday police fired teargas, a Reuters witness saw live rounds fired, and an overnight curfew was imposed. President Bola Tinubu ordered an investigation, and the state NSCDC commandant was suspended.

How each outlet framed it

• The Guardian — survivors' panic, child labour in the mines and the street clashes.
• Al Jazeera — accountability: the suspension, the quick burials and illegal mining's link to armed groups.
• Dhaka Tribune — the wire report that protests broke out after the deaths.

What we don't know yet: the official cause of death, and whether anyone will be charged.