An independent investigation committee probing the deaths of 33 detainees at a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) facility in Niger State has attributed the tragedy to severe overcrowding, poor ventilation, negligence and delayed responses by officers to distress calls.
The committee’s Chairman and former Deputy Director-General of the State Security Service, Mr Jonathan Kure, disclosed this while presenting the committee’s report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja.
Kure said “the investigation, conducted following a presidential directive, established that the victims died from acute respiratory failure consistent with environmental asphyxia, worsened by extreme heat, dehydration and inadequate ventilation.”
According to the report, approximately 50 male detainees were confined in a cell measuring about 20 square metres, with inadequate airflow, insufficient drinking water and poor sanitation, saying “adults and minors were also detained together.”
The committee further found that detainees repeatedly called for help and pleaded for water throughout the night, but officers allegedly failed to respond promptly despite signs that the conditions inside the cell had become life-threatening.
The report confirmed that 33 people died, while 41 others survived. Six of the survivors received treatment at the General Hospital in Minna. Fourteen of the deceased were minors.
The investigation also revealed that the arrests followed raids on suspected illegal mining activities around Bibi in Niger State.
The committee said: “the operations were conducted without adequate planning or consultation with relevant authorities.”
It identified alleged professional misconduct and leadership failures among other several issues by NSCDC officers, including the state commandant, citing unlawful detention practices, inadequate supervision and failure to respond appropriately to the emergency.
The committee dismissed claims that a disease outbreak caused the deaths, explaining that “the available medical and forensic evidence pointed to environmental asphyxia as the most likely cause. Allegations that an aerosol substance had been sprayed inside the cell were also found to be unsubstantiated.”
The report described the incident as a preventable custodial tragedy resulting from unlawful detention conditions, negligence and institutional failures.
Among its recommendations, the committee proposed compensation of 30 million naira for the families of each of the 33 deceased detainees and 10 million naira for each survivor. It also called for a comprehensive overhaul of NSCDC operational procedures to prevent a recurrence and appropriate disciplinary action against officers found culpable in the incident.
Receiving the report, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, thanked the committee for its work and assured the victims’ families and Nigerians that justice would be served.
The Ninister said: “the report would be forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Justice for further judicial action, while the Ministry of Interior would implement the necessary administrative measures arising from the findings.”
Tunji-Ojo reiterated the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to ensuring accountability and justice in cases of wrongdoing.
He stressed that every Nigerian life deserves equal protection, assuring the families of the victims that the government would pursue justice.
“No Nigerian life is more important than another. We assure the families of the victims that justice must be served,” the Minister said.
