Thirty-seven suspected illegal miners reportedly died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, Niger State, after more than 60 detainees were allegedly confined in a cell designed for about 10 people.
According to a SaharaReporters investigation, the detainees repeatedly pleaded with officers to open the cell as extreme heat and overcrowding reportedly made it difficult for them to breathe.
Sources familiar with the incident alleged that the detainees knocked on the cell door and called for assistance during the early hours of Thursday, but the door was not opened in time.
One source claimed that the then Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, instructed officers to keep the detainees inside the facility. These allegations have not been independently established and are part of the evidence being examined following the deaths.
The detainees were reportedly among more than 60 people arrested during NSCDC operations targeting suspected illegal mining activities in Niger State.
SaharaReporters reported that more than 40 NSCDC personnel participated in the operation, with officers from neighbouring states allegedly joining the Niger State command.
As conditions inside the cell deteriorated, some detainees reportedly collapsed and died, while others continued calling for help.
The deaths have generated widespread outrage, with survivors and other sources disputing the initial explanation that a disease outbreak may have been responsible.
Reuters reported that survivors described severe overcrowding and breathing difficulties, while the actual cause of death remained under investigation.
FG Orders Investigation
Following the incident, the Federal Government suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant and 20 other officers linked to the detention operation.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, also constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the deaths. The committee was directed to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and submit its report within two weeks.
President Bola Tinubu ordered a comprehensive investigation into the deaths, while the Interior Ministry said the inquiry should be transparent and unhindered.
The investigation is expected to establish what happened inside the detention facility, the circumstances surrounding the deaths and whether any officers or other individuals should be held responsible.
The Federal Government has said the suspensions are pending the outcome of the investigation, while calls for accountability have continued from human rights organisations, miners’ groups and members of the affected communities.
The official cause of the 37 deaths has yet to be conclusively established, making the outcome of the independent investigation significant in determining what happened at the NSCDC facility.
