MINNA, — What began as a crackdown on suspected illegal mining in Niger State has ended in tragedy, with at least 33 detainees dying in custody within two days of their arrest, authorities said.
The men were among scores of people arrested by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) during operations on September 15 and 16 targeting illegal mining around M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto in Niger State.
The deaths were discovered early Thursday at an NSCDC detention facility in Minna, the state capital. The corps initially attributed them to a suspected disease outbreak, but said the exact cause had yet to be established and that medical examinations were underway.
For survivors and relatives, however, the tragedy has raised painful questions about the conditions in which the detainees were held.
A survivor receiving treatment at Minna General Hospital said about 65 people had been packed into a single cell with inadequate ventilation.
As conditions inside the cell deteriorated, detainees allegedly struggled to breathe, shouted for help and repeatedly banged on the door in an attempt to alert guards, according to accounts from survivors and relatives.
The survivor's account was also reported by other Nigerian media, which said detainees described the cell as severely overcrowded and poorly ventilated.
The human cost was felt most sharply by families who had expected their relatives to return home after what was supposed to be an enforcement operation.
The NSCDC has not publicly established that suffocation or overcrowding caused the deaths. Its national headquarters said claims linking the fatalities to a particular disease remain subject to medical and laboratory confirmation. The bodies have been deposited at Minna General Hospital for examination.
The incident has triggered investigations at several levels.
The NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, ordered a high-powered investigation into the circumstances of the deaths, including the condition of the detainees when arrested, their period in custody, the conditions of detention and any medical attention provided.
Police in Niger State have also opened an investigation and appealed to relatives and members of the public with relevant information to assist investigators.
Phenomenal
On Friday, Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo ordered the immediate suspension of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, pending a full investigation into the deaths.
The authorities have yet to give a definitive explanation for how so many people died so soon after their arrest. Establishing whether the deaths resulted from disease, inadequate detention conditions, or a combination of factors will now depend on the medical examinations and investigations.
The incident has also renewed scrutiny of how security agencies handle large numbers of people arrested during enforcement operations, particularly before they are formally charged or released.
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