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AP
Mubarak Dahiru, a survivor of the detention, is photographed outside his house in Minna, Nigeria, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Afolabi Sotunde)
AP
Mubarak Dahiru, second left, and friends who survived while in detention by NSCDC officials are photographed in Minna, Nigeria, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Afolabi Sotunde)
AP
Abdulahi Usman, who said his son was mistreated while in custody before he died, is photographed outside his house in Minna, Nigeria, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Afolabi Sotunde)
AP
People work at a mine in Minna, Nigeria, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Afolabi Sotunde)
AP
People work at a mine in Minna, Nigeria, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Afolabi Sotunde)
AP
Families of suspected illegal miners who died in Nigerian detention accuse officials of mistreatment
Lawan Mohammed is distraught over the death of his 25-year-old son Sulieman who was found dead in the custody of a Nigerian security agency. He said Sulieman was a mechanic in Niger state and was on his way home when he and some friends were arrested by personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps. Sulieman was found dead on Thursday in a cell along with 36 other detainees. A total of 67 people suspected of being illegal miners were held in a cell, and 37 of them probably died of suffocation. That's according to the state governor, Umar Bago. The security agency has blamed the deaths on a possible disease outbreak.
AP
Families of miners who were arrested on suspicion of illegal mining and died in custody wait outside a hospital where their bodies are being held in Minna, Nigeria, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Afolabi Sotunde)
AP
Families of miners who were arrested on suspicion of illegal mining and died in custody wait outside a hospital where their bodies are being held in Minna, Nigeria, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Afolabi Sotunde)
AP
Families of miners who were arrested on suspicion of illegal mining and died in custody wait outside a hospital where their bodies are being held in Minna, Nigeria, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Afolabi Sotunde)
AP
Families of miners who were arrested on suspicion of illegal mining and died in custody wait outside a hospital where their bodies are being held in Minna, Nigeria, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Afolabi Sotunde)