EXCLUSIVE: How 37 Miners Died After NSCDC Officials Ignored Pleas For Air, Kept Over 60 In 10-Man Cell
EXCLUSIVE: How 37 Miners Died After NSCDC Officials Ignored Pleas For Air, Kept Over 60 In 10-Man Cell By the time the situation deteriorated, some of the detainees had reportedly died, while others continued pleading…
The report alleges that 37 suspected illegal miners died while in NSCDC custody in Minna, Niger State, after detainees were reportedly packed into an overcrowded cell. Survivors told SaharaReporters that they repeatedly complained about the lack of air and space, but their pleas were allegedly ignored. They further alleged that an unidentified substance was sprayed into the cell before people began experiencing breathing difficulties and collapsing. These accounts have not yet been independently established as the cause of death.
According to the wider accounts of survivors, about 67 people were held in the cell, with 37 eventually dying. Some survivors described the cell as severely overcrowded and poorly ventilated, while others said detainees began shouting for help after the substance was sprayed. Reuters reported that it could not independently verify the survivors' accounts or determine what substance, if any, was used. The NSCDC initially suggested a possible disease outbreak, but authorities have since said the cause of death remains undetermined.
The incident has triggered a government investigation and public outrage. President Bola Tinubu ordered a transparent investigation, while the Interior Ministry suspended officers linked to the incident and established a 10-member independent committee with two weeks to report its findings. The investigation is expected to establish what happened inside the cell, the cause of the deaths and whether any officials should be held responsible.