Thirty-seven individuals arrested during a crackdown on unlawful resource extraction in north-central Nigeria have perished while held by law enforcement, sparking public demonstrations and official inquiries.

The security service managing the facility initially pointed to a potential outbreak of illness as the cause of the fatalities. However, leaked intelligence assessments and testimony from grieving family members sharply contradict that explanation, suggesting instead that severe crowding and a lack of fresh air led to mass suffocation inside the holding area in Niger state.

Relatives of the deceased reported that the young men had been crammed into a poorly ventilated cell where temperatures soared. According to accounts shared by survivors with their families, detainees began losing consciousness in the stifling heat and frantically pounded on doors for assistance, but no guards responded.

The individuals were among more than fifty people detained earlier in the week during operations targeting informal and unregulated mineral extraction near Borgu. Officials explained that formal charges had not yet been filed because administrative processing and documentation were still ongoing at the time of the incident.

News of the tragedy triggered unrest in Minna, the capital of Niger state. Upset community members and relatives took to the streets, throwing stones and targeting public transport vehicles and official buildings. Law enforcement personnel ultimately dispersed the crowds by deploying tear gas.

State leadership responded to the crisis by announcing a three-day period of mourning and delaying the launch of upcoming political campaigns originally set for January. A local commander overseeing the paramilitary unit has been placed under arrest, and the regional police chief has initiated a formal probe to determine the exact sequence of events.

While the civil defense agency initially raised the possibility of a bacterial infection, its central administration later walked back that claim, acknowledging that any definitive cause must await formal medical evaluations and laboratory testing. Families of the victims have called for independent autopsies to uncover the truth behind the sudden loss of life in custody.

Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC News. Read the original report at BBC News.