A survivor of the detention-cell tragedy in Minna, Niger State, has recounted the harrowing moments when detainees watched helplessly as their colleagues collapsed and died one after another inside an overcrowded and poorly ventilated cell.
The survivor, Dauda Shehu, said about 65 detainees were crammed into a small cell at the Niger State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) following enforcement operations targeting suspected illegal mining activities.
According to Shehu, the detainees struggled to breathe after the cell became extremely hot and poorly ventilated.
“We watched as our colleagues dropped dead one after another. When it became clear that we were in danger, we all raised the alarm. People screamed and called for help, but nobody chose to listen to us,” Shehu said.
The tragedy has sparked outrage and protests across Minna, with youths taking to the streets to demand justice and accountability.
President Bola Tinubu has since ordered a comprehensive and transparent investigation into the deaths, stressing that the suspension of officers must not replace the determination of possible criminal responsibility.
Survivor Describes Final Moments Inside Cell
Shehu, who was taken to hospital alongside five other survivors, said the detainees were arrested during NSCDC enforcement operations conducted on September 15 and 16 around the M.I. Wushishi Estate/Lukoto area of Minna.
He told The Associated Press that the detainees were packed tightly into the cell, leaving little room for movement and making it difficult to breathe.
“We were jam-packed, and there was no ventilation for us to breathe well. All of a sudden, we realised that we could not breathe, and we started scrambling to get fresh air,” he said.
Speaking at the General Hospital in Minna, where the bodies were taken for examination, Shehu said detainees repeatedly banged on the cell door and shouted for help after they realised they were in danger.
When no assistance came, he said some detainees attempted to force the door open but were unsuccessful.
According to Shehu, those positioned at the far end of the cell began collapsing first, while many of the survivors were located closer to the entrance.
Another survivor described the conditions as extremely hot and suffocating.
He said the intense heat left detainees drenched in sweat and desperately searching for water and fresh air.
The survivor recalled watching the person beside him shake violently before collapsing and dying.
“The small cell was filled to capacity. There was no ventilation, and everywhere became stuffy. People started collapsing one after another, and before daybreak, more than half of us had died,” he said.
37 Detainees Confirmed Dead
Reuters reported seeing 33 bodies at the General Hospital in Minna on Thursday, while the Niger State Government confirmed on Friday that the death toll had risen to 37.
The NSCDC initially suggested that the deaths could have been linked to a disease outbreak. The agency later said the exact cause had not yet been established and would be determined through medical examinations.
The suspended Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, said the bodies had been deposited at the General Hospital for further medical examination to establish the actual cause of death.
He did not disclose the specific disease initially suspected by the command.
Mother Alleges N100,000 Was Demanded for Release
The tragedy has also prompted allegations from relatives of the deceased over the circumstances surrounding the detainees’ detention.
Shafa’atu Suleiman, whose son Abdullahi was among those who died, said she visited him while he was in custody and found him among a large number of detainees confined in an overcrowded cell.
She alleged that NSCDC officials prevented relatives from supplying food to detainees and demanded N100,000 for their release.
The allegations have not been independently established, and NSCDC officials did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment on them.
“This is injustice. We will not forgive them,” Suleiman said.
Another bereaved father, Mallam Abdullahi, said his son appeared healthy when he took food to him in detention but was informed the following morning that he had died.
“My son was hale and hearty when I took dinner to him, but, shockingly, I was told the following morning that he had died in detention,” he said.
Relatives also alleged that the NSCDC command had refused to release some detainees on bail and asked them to return on Thursday without providing an explanation.
Investigators have urged relatives of the victims to provide information that could assist in establishing what happened.
Protests Erupt Across Minna as Curfew Is Imposed
News of the deaths triggered protests across Minna, with youths, including some miners, blocking major roads and demanding justice.
The demonstrations spread to areas including Maitumbi, Kpakungu and Tunga, disrupting traffic and forcing commercial activities in parts of the city to shut down.
The protests later turned violent, prompting residents to remain indoors as filling stations, shops and other businesses closed amid fears of further attacks.
Vehicles belonging to the state transport company were reportedly vandalised, while some businesses and political party offices were also attacked.
Although calm returned to parts of Minna on Friday morning, security personnel remained deployed at strategic locations across the city.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago subsequently imposed a 24-hour curfew on Minna, effective immediately after Friday prayers, in an effort to restore order and prevent further violence.
The governor also established a committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The committee is chaired by Deputy Governor Comrade Yakubu Garba, while the Commissioner for Homeland Security, Maurice Magaji, serves as secretary.
Bago said the Department of State Services, Nigeria Police Force and NSCDC had also commenced separate investigations.
He added that forensic examinations and autopsies would be conducted to establish the cause of death and guide further government action.
The governor described the incident as tragic and assured the families of the deceased that the government would work to establish the truth.
Tinubu Orders Full Investigation and Accountability
President Bola Tinubu has directed a comprehensive, transparent and unhindered investigation into the deaths.
His Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the president was deeply concerned by the incident and considered it a serious matter requiring urgent investigation and accountability.
Tinubu said the government’s efforts to combat illegal mining and other criminal activities must be conducted within the law and with respect for the dignity and fundamental rights of people in custody.
The president stressed that being suspected of illegal mining did not remove a detainee’s right to life, dignity or humane treatment.
He further warned that the government would not tolerate deaths resulting from alleged official negligence, dereliction of duty or failure by public officials to protect people placed in their care.
Tinubu directed investigators to examine the circumstances surrounding the arrests, the detainees’ condition when they were taken into custody, the conditions inside the detention facility, the number of people detained, the medical attention provided and the events leading to the deaths.
He also stressed that the suspension of officers was only an administrative measure and should not prevent investigators from determining whether criminal responsibility arose from the evidence.
The president directed the Ministry of Interior and NSCDC leadership to cooperate fully with investigative authorities and ensure that no officer interfered with the process.
He also appealed for calm among the affected families and communities.
“We must never allow the pursuit of one form of illegality to create another. The government must enforce the law firmly, but it must also obey the law. The sanctity of human life is non-negotiable,” Tinubu said.
Interior Minister Suspends NSCDC Commandant
Following the tragedy, Interior Minister Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo ordered the immediate suspension of Niger State NSCDC Commandant Suberu Siyaka Aniviye pending the outcome of the investigation.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Alao Babatunde, the minister directed NSCDC Commandant-General Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi to conduct a transparent and unhindered investigation.
Audi subsequently ordered Aniviye to step aside and report to the NSCDC national headquarters in Abuja to appear before a panel of inquiry.
The heads of Operations, Mining, Legal, Intelligence and Investigation at the state command were also directed to report to the national headquarters.
A new commandant was ordered to proceed to Niger State and assume immediate control of the command.
Tunji-Ojo said a full investigation would determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths and whether any officials had failed in their responsibilities.
The minister urged members of the public to remain calm and law-abiding while the investigation continues.
The NSCDC said its inquiry would establish whether any personnel acted contrary to the law, established procedures or professional standards.
The corps also said officers found culpable could face administrative or disciplinary action and, where applicable, criminal prosecution.
Nasarawa Moves Against Illegal Mining and Child Labour
Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State Government has announced plans to intensify its crackdown on illegal mining and warned operators against employing underage persons at mining sites.
The Commissioner for Environment, Solid Minerals and Mining, Dr Margaret Itake Elayo, issued the warning in Lafia while reacting to the Niger State tragedy and a viral video allegedly showing teenagers working at a mining site in Nasarawa.
Elayo described illegal mining as unacceptable and said the deaths in Niger State should serve as a warning to mineral-rich states to strengthen monitoring and enforcement.
She cautioned holders of federal mining licences that such licences did not automatically authorise them to begin mining operations in Nasarawa State.
According to the commissioner, licence holders must report to the state ministry for documentation and comply with established procedures for engaging host communities.
She also accused some operators of using exploration licences as a cover for full-scale mining activities.
Elayo explained that exploration licence holders were permitted to collect samples and conduct tests, while operators were required to sign Community Development Agreements before commencing mining activities.
The commissioner further condemned the alleged use of teenagers at mining sites, warning that exposure to hazardous chemicals and dangerous mining pits could place young people at serious risk.
She said the ministry had begun investigating reports of illegal mining involving young people at Malai in Wamba Local Government Area.
The investigation followed a video reportedly sent to the ministry by a conservator at the Malai National Park in Wamba.
Investigation Into Niger Detention Deaths Continues
The circumstances surrounding the deaths of the 37 suspected illegal miners remain under investigation, with federal and state authorities conducting separate inquiries.
Forensic examinations and autopsies are expected to provide further information about the cause of death, while investigators are also examining the conditions under which the detainees were held.
The allegations made by survivors and relatives, including claims about overcrowding, inadequate ventilation and alleged demands for money, remain matters for investigators to establish.
Authorities have pledged that the investigation will determine what happened inside the detention facility and whether any individuals or institutions should be held legally accountable.