The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) is a paramilitary agency which assists the police (file photo)

🌐 Here's What Happened

Thirty-seven people accused of illegal mining in north-central Nigeria have died in custody, local officials said.

Police have set up an investigation into the deaths, which the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) blamed on an apparent disease outbreak.

However, an intelligence report shared with AFP news agency suggested the group died because of overcrowding and poor ventilation inside the detention facility in the Nigerian state of Niger.

📌 Key Details

State governor Mohammed Umaru Bago called the deaths "sad and tragic" during a press conference on Thursday.

An NSCDC commander has been detained following the deaths, Bago added.

He declared three days of mourning and postponed the start of campaigning for elections scheduled for January.

Officials had arrested the group of young men on Tuesday for suspected illegal mining near Borgu, in the mineral-rich state of Niger. The region is known for small-scale gold mining.

Two days later, 37 people detained as part of the suspected unlawful operation were found dead inside the detention centre run by the NSCDC, a paramilitary agency responsible for protecting critical infrastructure and tackling crimes including illegal mining. It also assists police with internal security operations.

The NSCDC had earlier said the detainees were possibly victims of a diphtheria outbreak, a serious bacterial infection that can be fatal.

📰 Source: BBC Africa