Nigeria miner deaths: 37 die in custody, protests erupt

Survivors of a mining disaster in Nigeria have described struggling to breathe inside a cell where 37 suspected illegal gold miners died while in custody, triggering protests across the country.

The miners were being held by a paramilitary civil defence group in Niger state when the deaths occurred. Those who survived the incident say they gasped for air inside the overcrowded cell, according to accounts from the scene.

The deaths have sparked demonstrations, with protesters demanding accountability for the conditions that led to the loss of 37 lives. The incident has drawn attention to the treatment of informal miners and the operations of security forces in Nigeria's mining regions.

Authorities have not yet released a full explanation of what caused the deaths. The paramilitary civil defence group has not commented publicly on the incident.

The protests reflect growing anger over the deaths and the circumstances surrounding the detention of the miners. Demonstrators have called for a thorough investigation into how 37 people died in custody.