A survivor 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 has alleged that an unidentified substance was sprayed inside an overcrowded detention cell shortly before detainees began collapsing.
The survivor gave the account on Friday when Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago and Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo met survivors of the incident.
According to reports from Channels Television and other Nigerian media, the survivor said dozens of detainees were packed into a small room before the deaths occurred.
‘They locked us in a very small room’
The survivor, who spoke in Hausa, said 17 people were initially held in the room before additional detainees were brought in.
“They locked us in a very small room. We were 17 in number, then they added more people, and we started complaining that the room was small,” he said.
Another account reported by TheCable said as many as 65 detainees were eventually crammed into the cell before a substance was allegedly sprayed inside and the door locked.
The discrepancy in reported numbers underscores the need for investigators to establish precisely how many people were held in the facility and under what conditions.
37 detainees died
The deaths occurred after suspected illegal miners were arrested during enforcement operations in Niger State on September 15 and 16.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago said 67 artisanal and suspected illegal miners had been detained, while 37 subsequently died.
The exact cause of death has not yet been conclusively established.
Reuters reported that the NSCDC initially referred to a possible disease outbreak but later said medical investigations would be required to determine the precise cause.
Investigation underway
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a full and transparent investigation into the deaths, while the Interior Ministry has also initiated a probe.
The Niger State NSCDC Commandant has been directed to step aside and report to the agency’s national headquarters as the inquiry proceeds.
The survivor’s account that an unidentified substance was sprayed into the cell is therefore an allegation that investigators will need to test against forensic, medical and witness evidence.
The investigation is expected to examine the detention conditions, the number of people held in the cell, the treatment of detainees and the precise medical cause of the deaths.
Until those findings are established, the survivor’s account should not be treated as proof of what caused the deaths.