Police fired tear gas at protesters in Minna, Niger State, on Friday as demonstrations intensified over the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

Dozens of young people, including miners and relatives of the deceased, gathered near the NSCDC office demanding justice and answers over the deaths.

Police cordoned off the area and fired tear gas in an attempt to disperse the demonstrators, according to the Associated Press.

The confrontation marks an escalation of protests that began after news emerged that dozens of detainees had died following their arrest during operations against suspected illegal mining.

SURVIVORS SAY DETAINEES SUFFOCATED

The NSCDC initially said a suspected disease outbreak may have been connected to the deaths.

However, survivors interviewed by the Associated Press disputed that account and said overcrowding and suffocation were responsible.

One survivor said around 65 detainees had been placed inside a poorly ventilated cell and that some began struggling to breathe.

The official cause of death has not been established.

Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago said investigators were examining several possibilities, including suffocation caused by overcrowding and exposure to hazardous chemicals associated with mining.

Medical examinations, forensic investigations and autopsies were announced to determine what happened.

37 DEATHS CONFIRMED

Bago confirmed that 37 suspected illegal miners died while being held by the NSCDC.

The detainees had been arrested during operations on September 15 and 16 targeting suspected illegal mining activities around the Wushishi and Lukoto areas.

The deaths were discovered early on September 17.

The NSCDC subsequently said the precise cause had not been determined and would require medical and laboratory investigation.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SUSPENDS NSCDC COMMANDANT

The federal government has suspended Niger State NSCDC Commandant Suberu Siyaka Aniviye pending the outcome of an investigation.

Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji Ojo ordered the immediate suspension and said a full investigation would be conducted into the incident.

The NSCDC has also established an investigative team to examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths, including conditions inside the detention facility, the condition of the suspects when they were arrested and whether they received medical attention.

Separate investigations have also been announced by other security authorities and the Niger State Government.

PROTESTERS DEMAND JUSTICE

Anger over the deaths has spread across Minna.

Demonstrators gathered on Thursday night demanding justice, with some vehicles reportedly damaged during the unrest.

By Friday, protesters had again assembled near the NSCDC facility before police moved to disperse them with tear gas.

Relatives have also questioned how the detainees were treated before their deaths.

The mother of one detainee told Reuters she had seen her son inside what she described as a cramped cell before later learning that he had died.

Her allegations have not been independently established, and NSCDC officials did not respond to Reuters requests for comment on them.

GOVERNOR APPEALS FOR CALM

Bago has appealed to residents, particularly young people, to avoid violence while investigations continue.

The governor said determining the scientific cause of the deaths should remain the priority and warned against reaching conclusions before forensic findings are available.

The state government has also announced three days of mourning following the deaths.

The incident has intensified scrutiny of detention conditions and security operations targeting illegal mining in Niger State as families wait for answers about how 37 people died while in government custody.