Relatives Accuse Nigerian Security Officials of Abusing 37 Miners Who Died in Custody

Relatives have accused Nigerian security officials of abusing 37 miners who died in custody, according to Anadolu Agency. The deceased were among 67 people arrested on suspicion of illegal mining, the report said.

The report did not specify the location or date of the arrests, nor did it detail the circumstances under which the 37 detainees died while in custody.

Allegations of mistreatment unaddressed by officials

Anadolu Agency's report did not include a response from Nigerian security agencies to the abuse allegations, or specify what, if any, investigation has been opened into the deaths.

It also did not detail the specific nature of the alleged abuse described by relatives, or indicate the current status and condition of the remaining detainees among the 67 arrested.

Illegal mining has been a persistent concern for Nigerian authorities, who have periodically conducted crackdowns on unlicensed mining operations, though deaths in custody during such operations raise separate questions about the treatment of detainees that the available report did not further address.

Further details on any official inquiry and the identities of those who died were not included in the available report.