The Tragic Death Of Miners In Niger State And The Value Of Human Live In Islam!
By Imam Murtadha Gusau
Saturday, September 19, 2026
In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all creation, and may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and all his Companions.
Dear brothers and sisters! A tragic incident in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria, on Thursday, September 17, 2026, has resulted in the deaths of 37 miners while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The suspects were arrested during an anti-illegal mining raid in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas between September 15 and 16, 2026, and were found dead in their cells on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) claimed that the detainees died due to a sudden outbreak of disease. But emerging intelligence reports and survivour accounts strongly suggest the victims suffocated due to extreme overcrowding and poor ventilation in the cells.
The bodies have been transferred to the General Hospital, Minna, for an official autopsy. The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordered the immediate suspension of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, pending a full federal investigation.
The Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago declared three days of mourning and postponed upcoming election campaign activities. The news of the deaths sparked widespread outrage. Hundreds of angry residents, miners, and relatives took to the streets of Minna to demand justice, leading to clashes with security forces who used tear gas and fired live ammunition to disperse crowds. In response to the growing unrest, Governor Bago imposed a strict 24-hour curfew across Minna to restore order.
Respected brothers and sisters! In Islam, human life is considered sacred, inviolable, and of supreme value because it is a divine gift created directly by Allah the Almighty. Islam teaches that life is given by Allah (Al-Hayy, The Living), and only He has the ultimate right to take it away.
Unjustly killing a single human being is treated with extreme gravity in the Qur’an. Surah Al-Ma’idah (Qur’an, 5:32) states that whoever kills an innocent person, it is as though they have killed all of humanity. Conversely, saving a single life is valued as saving all of humanity.
And Islam grants inherent dignity to all children of Adam (humanity as a whole) regardless of race, colour, tribe, religion, region or background, as stated in Surah Al-Isra (Qur’an, 17:70).
Unjust killing is strictly forbidden (Haram), and severe legal and moral consequences exist to deter violence and protect society. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) established a charter that guaranteed the sanctity of life, freedom of religion, and protection for both Muslim and non-Muslim members of the community.
Islamic jurisprudence and Maqasid al-Sharia places the protection of life (nafs) as one of the fundamental objectives that religious law aims to safeguard.
Fellow Nigerians! The perceived lack of respect for human life and dignity in Nigeria stems from systemic insecurity, governance failures, economic hardship, and a broader erosion of traditional social values. Persistent threats from terrorism, such as Boko Haram in the North, banditry, kidnapping, and intercommunal or ethnic clashes have led to mass loss of life, where human survival often feels trivialised.
Extrajudicial actions, arbitrary detentions, and brutality by security forces—highlighted during movements like #EndSARS and recent Minna tragedy—reflect a historic failure by some elements within security agencies to fully respect civil authority and human dignity.
Widespread poverty, corruption, and the diversion of public funds deny citizens access to basic healthcare, education, and safe infrastructure, effectively making the fundamental right to life a privilege tied to economic or political status.
Public safety is frequently compromised in daily life through reckless driving, the sale of fake or substandard goods, and general disregard for public laws and mutual civic responsibility.
The Pathways to Improvement:
- Ensuring that security agencies operate under strict rule of law and holding perpetrators of human rights abuses accountable.
- Directing public resources transparently into critical infrastructure, education, and health care rather than allowing funds to be misappropriated.
- Reviving communal values of empathy, integrity, and the intrinsic value of human life across societal and religious leadership.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family, his Companions and his true followers.
Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene’s Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com or +2348038289761 or +2348024192217.