Detainees Say 17 People Were Initially Locked in Small Cell Before More Were Added
Survivors of the incident in which 37 suspected illegal miners died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State have recounted how detainees struggled to breathe inside an overcrowded cell.
One of the survivors said 17 people were initially locked inside a small room before more detainees were brought in.
He said the detainees complained about the size of the room and intense heat but remained locked inside.
According to him, an unidentified substance that looked like perfume was sprayed inside the room shortly before the door was locked, after which the situation reportedly became worse.
He said people began collapsing as the room became increasingly hot, while pleas for water were allegedly rejected.
Another survivor, who asked not to be named, said he survived because he was close to the cell entrance where he could breathe better.
“We were screaming for help,” he said, adding that guards were informed that people were dying but allegedly did not believe the detainees.
The incident sparked protests in Minna, with reports of mobs blocking roads and attacking a transport depot. It was not immediately clear whether police used live ammunition or anti-riot rounds to disperse protesters.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a full and transparent investigation into the deaths, directing that officials found to have contributed to them through negligence, abuse or other wrongdoing be arrested and prosecuted.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, also suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, and ordered a full investigation.
Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, subsequently imposed a curfew in the state following the unrest.
The cause of the deaths has not been conclusively established. Governor Bago had said forensic examinations, medical examinations and autopsies would be conducted to determine what led to the deaths.
The NSCDC has also launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths, including the condition of the detainees when they were arrested, their detention conditions and the medical attention provided to them.