Full list: Identities of 37 miners who died in NSCDC custody revealed

The identities of the 37 suspected artisanal miners who died under controversial circumstances in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, have been released.

The release of the names by the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) comes as federal authorities broaden their criminal probe, raising the number of suspended NSCDC personnel held in detention to 24, including suspended Niger State Commandant Suberu Siyaka Aniviye.

According to IHRC international peace ambassador, Awaisu Giwa, the initial roster was compiled from mortuary records at General Hospital, Minna, where the bodies were deposited following the tragedy.

“The IHRC obtained the initial list from the records of General Hospital, Minna, and we will seek an official letterhead list to support families in pushing for accountability and fair compensation,” Giwa said.

The development follows earlier coverage by Pluboard detailing President Bola Tinubu’s directive for a full prosecution after surviving detainees alleged that officers sprayed an unidentified chemical into an unventilated cell packed with over 65 men.

Full list of deceased victims

Below are the names of the 37 victims identified in the official records:

1. Ibrahim Sani
2. Fahad Sa’adu
3. Abdulsalam Ismail
4. Usman Aliyu
5. Abubakar Alhaji
6. Sani Nasir
7. Sanusi Khalid
8. Ahmad Aliyu
9. Safiyanu Abdullahi
10. Suleiman Dantala
11. Idris Haruna
12. Sani Yakubu
13. Safiyanu Abubakar
14. Abdullahi Abubakar
15. Abubakar Musa
16. Abdul Mudassir
17. Suleiman Lawal
18. Usman Abdullahi
19. Samuel Sambo
20. Ibrahim Musa
21. Yusuf Nasiru
22. Umar Lawal
23. Isyaku Amisu
24. Bissallah Adamu
25. Abdulbari Suleiman
26. Shafisu Lado
27. Usman Ahmad
28. Usman Ibrahim
29. Sani Isyaku
30. Musa Ibrahim
31. Idris Bashir
32. Kabiru Suleiman
33. Emmanuel Emeka
34. Mu’awiya AbdulKarim (noted separately from hospital records)
35. Abdul Gafar Abubakar (noted separately from hospital records)
36. Usman Haruna (noted separately from hospital records)
37. Aro Salihu Soba (noted separately from hospital records)

As grieving families gather outside state mortuaries to claim their relatives’ remains for Islamic and Christian burials, the NSCDC national headquarters in Abuja has expanded its internal purge.

An additional three personnel were taken into custody on Monday, bringing the total number of officers detained and under interrogation to 24. The officers face allegations ranging from gross negligence and illegal detention to failure of duty of care under human rights conventions.

Rights organizations, including Women in Mining in Nigeria (WIMIN) and Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), have reiterated calls for an independent judicial panel to ensure the probe remains impartial.

Mr Giwa emphasized that publishing the names is the first step toward securing justice for the victims’ families.

“Every single person on this list was a son, a brother, or a father,” Giwa stated. “A legal process must follow to ensure that those responsible for this tragedy face the law and that the families receive full compensation.”