Nigerian police use tear gas during protests over the deaths in custody of 37 miners

MINNA, Nigeria — Nigerian police fired tear gas Friday at crowds who gathered in protest against the deaths of 37 miners being held in custody.

The civil defense corps said the miners, who were arrested earlier this week on suspicion of illegal mining, had died as a result of a suspected disease outbreak. But survivors told The Associated Press the deaths were due to suffocation.

The protesters claim the miners were killed in retaliation for earlier attacks by some miners on officers. The government suspended the commandant of Niger state’s civil defense corps on Friday.

“It is an unfortunate incident,” Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said in a statement. “However, a full investigation will be conducted while the commandant under whose watch this happened remains suspended.”

The state government imposed a 12-hour curfew starting from 6 p.m. on Friday following attacks by some of the protesters on other residents.

Dozens of young people, including miners and their relatives, gathered near the civil defense corps’ office in Minna, the capital of Niger state. Police cordoned off the area and attempted to disperse the protesters by firing tear gas canisters.

“There will be no attempt to shield anyone found culpable. At the same time, we mustn’t prejudge the outcome of the investigation,” Minister of Information Mohammed Idris said.

Illegal mining is a serious problem in Nigeria, where analysts say it funds activities of armed groups, some of whom control the mines.