Key facts
- Residents of Niger state protested the abduction of hundreds of people who remain captive a month after gunmen attacked several communities.
- Protesters estimate close to 700 people are being held by kidnappers.
- Insecurity has restricted residents' access to markets and healthcare.
- At least 37 detainees died in a crowded cell in Minna, Nigeria, after guards allegedly sprayed an unknown substance and locked the doors.
- Many of the deceased were teenagers working in artisanal gold mines.
- President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered an investigation into the deaths.
Residents of Nigeria's north-central Niger state protested on Monday over the abduction of hundreds of people who they said remained in captivity a month after gunmen attacked several communities in one of the country's largest mass kidnappings. The protesters, from Dekara and neighbouring communities in Borgu district, converged on the local government headquarters in New Bussa to demand the captives' release. Residents say armed men abducted about 600 people, mostly women, children and the elderly, but authorities have not given a number. Abdullahi Yahaya Sadauki, president of the Borgu Youths Development Association, said communities now estimated that close to 700 people were being held by kidnappers. Reuters could not independently verify the figure.
Borgu, roughly 300 km from the state capital Minna, lies along Nigeria's border with the Republic of Benin. The protest increases pressure on President Bola Tinubu's government to tackle insecurity, a hot issue ahead of elections in January 2027. Although Tinubu ordered an immediate rescue operation following the August 21 attacks, the kidnap victims have yet to be found. Niger State Commissioner for Information Obed Nuhu Nana told Reuters that security agencies have been mobilised but no response has been received yet, adding that the government is making efforts to rescue the people.
In a separate incident, at least 37 detainees, many of them teenagers working in artisanal gold mines, died in a crowded cell in Minna, Nigeria, after prison guards allegedly sprayed an unidentified substance into the room and kept the doors locked, ignoring cries for help. Survivors recounted scenes of panic as detainees struggled to breathe and people began dying one after another. The incident occurred after the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) raided suspected illegal gold mines and detained dozens of miners. Survivors described being locked in a small cell, around 5 square meters, with nearly 50 other people. They reported that officers sprayed a substance under the door that smelled like perfume or pepper, leading to itching, difficulty breathing, and unconsciousness. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered an investigation into the deaths, and his government has suspended some senior NSCDC officials pending the outcome. Authorities presented the bodies to the media, but the cause of death remains undetermined. The NSCDC initially suggested a disease outbreak but later stated the cause was unestablished. Anger over the incident led to clashes, resulting in one death and a 24-hour curfew imposed in Niger State.