33 Suspects Dead in Nigerian Custody, Officials Suspect Disease
At least 33 individuals arrested for alleged illegal mining have died in the custody of Nigerian security forces, with officials pointing to a possible disease outbreak.
At least 33 suspects detained for alleged illegal mining were discovered dead in Nigerian security custody on Thursday, officials reported. The deaths occurred in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in Niger state, a region in north-central Nigeria.
According to Abubakar Muti, spokesman for the NSCDC, the detainees had been held since security forces made arrests on Tuesday and Wednesday in connection with suspected illegal mining activities in the state. Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, head of the NSCDC in Niger, stated that the agency suspects a disease outbreak as the cause of the deaths.
The bodies of the deceased have been transported to a local hospital for further medical examination to determine the precise cause of death, Aniviye added.