The Guardian
· collected 2026-09-18 · by Eromo Egbejule in Abidjan and agencies
A survivor from a prison cell in Minna, Nigeria, where 37 suspected illegal gold miners died, described suffocating conditions and lack of ventilation as paramilitary police fired tear gas at protesters demanding justice. Nigerian officials initially blamed the deaths on disease but an intelligence report suggests overcrowding was responsible. Protesters clashed with security forces near the NSCDC office, with some armed and attempting to set fires in response to the deaths of mostly young miners held after raids two weeks prior.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
A survivor from a prison cell in Nigeria where 37 suspected illegal goldminers died while in the custody of a paramilitary group has recounted his panic and struggle for breath, as police fired teargas at people protesting against the deaths earlier this week.
asserted
police → suspect → deaths
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) – a paramilitary group that works with police – initially blamed the deaths in Minna, the state capital of mineral-rich Niger state, on a disease outbreak.
asserted
that → work → outbreak
However, an intelligence report seen by Agence France-Presse said preliminary information suggested that overcrowding and inadequate ventilation were responsible.
uncertain
overcrowding → see → Presse
Dauda Shehu, a survivor from the cell, told journalists at a hospital on Friday: “We were jam-packed in the cell, no ventilation for us to breathe well.
asserted
us → tell → cell
All of a sudden we realised that we could not breathe and we were all scampering for where to get fresh air, we even appealed to them several times, banged the cell door, but they refused to answer us.”
uncertain
they → realise → us
A video shared online showed the bodies of dozens of young men clad only in shorts, most of whom appeared to be teenagers, sprawled on the ground out in the open.
asserted
most → share → open
Volunteers wearing gloves can be seen standing over the dead, while veiled women try to identify the bodies of their relatives.
asserted
women → wear → relatives
Voices shouting curses on those responsible can be heard in the background.
asserted
Voices → shout → background
Protests over the deaths broke out on Thursday evening in Minna.
asserted
Protests → break → Minna
On Friday dozens of young people, including miners and their relatives, gathered near the NSCDC’s office in the city.
asserted
dozens → include → city
Police cordoned off the area and attempted to disperse the protesters by firing teargas.
asserted
Police → cordone → teargas
A Reuters witness saw security forces fire live rounds as protesters – some armed with sticks, machetes and traditional hunting rifles – called for justice.
asserted
protesters → see → justice
Some protesters tried to set fire to government buildings in the Tunga neighbourhood.
asserted
protesters → try → neighbourhood
“We are not thieves – we are simply seeking a way to make a living by mining,” Yusuf Auwal, a miner who joined the protesters, told Reuters.
asserted
who → seek → Reuters
At least one body lay on the streets.
asserted
body → lie → streets
Soldiers and police officers patrolled Minna to try to restore order.
asserted
Soldiers → patrol → order
The NSCDC said the detainees had been held in raids on suspected illegal mines on 15 and 16 September in the Wushishi-Lukoto area west of Minna.
asserted
detainees → say → Minna
Nigeria’s interior minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordered the immediate suspension of Niger state’s NSCDC commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, pending the outcome of a full investigation.
asserted
minister → order → investigation
Niger state, which is Nigeria’s largest and more than twice the size of Belgium, is rich in minerals and attracts thousands of artisanal miners, most lured by gold.
asserted
which → attract → gold
Police and the NSCDC did not initially provide a precise number of deaths but the state governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, later confirmed 37 people had died.
asserted
people → provide → deaths
“It’s so sad, it’s so tragic,” he said, adding an inquiry into the deaths had already started work.
asserted
inquiry → ’ → work
He declared three days of mourning and postponed the start of campaigning for elections due in January.
asserted
He → declare → January
The men were buried on Thursday, according to Islamic tradition, without any forensic investigations.
uncertain
men → bury → investigations
The scramble for gold reserves dug up in illegal mines in Niger state is fuelling violence by criminal gangs, according to officials and experts.
uncertain
scramble → dig → officials
The gangs tax the miners and demand a cut from the extracted ore as a levy to allow them access to the pits.
asserted
gangs → tax → pits
Most of the illegally mined gold is smuggled to the United Arab Emirates, where it is laundered into the global supply chain in Europe, the US, Asia and South Africa, according to a 2024 Swissaid report.
uncertain
it → mine → report
Apart from gold, the state of Niger sits on deposits of other minerals including tantalite, copper and lithium, which are in strong demand for use in electric vehicles and clean energy technology.
asserted
which → sit → vehicles
Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report
asserted
Presse → contribute → report
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