Survivor recounts ordeal day after 33 ‘illegal miners’ died in NSCDC Niger custody

A surviving miner detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger state has alleged that an unidentified substance was sprayed inside the cell where he and other suspected illegal miners were being held, after which several detainees began collapsing.

The survivor reportedly made the allegation when the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, visited some of the surviving detainees in Niger state on Friday, following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in NSCDC custody.

According to the miner, the detainees had been locked inside the cell when the substance was allegedly sprayed, after which people began falling down. Blueprint reports

“They sprayed something in the cell after putting us inside, and people started falling down,” the survivor reportedly told the minister.

The account has added a new dimension to the controversy surrounding the deaths, which have sparked protests in Minna and prompted investigations by both state and federal authorities.

However, the allegation has not been independently established, while the NSCDC has not confirmed that any substance was sprayed inside the detention facility. The actual cause of the deaths also remains undetermined as medical, forensic and autopsy examinations continue.

Survivor speaks during minister’s visit

The account emerged during Tunji-Ojo’s visit to Niger state as the federal government moved to establish what happened to the detainees arrested during an operation against suspected illegal mining.

The minister had visited some of the survivors as part of efforts to obtain first-hand information about the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The surviving miner’s account is expected to form part of the broader information available to investigators as they examine the conditions under which the suspects were detained and what happened before the deaths occurred.

The federal government has ordered a full investigation into the incident, while the Niger State Government has also constituted a committee of inquiry.

37 suspected miners died in custody

The incident began after security personnel arrested scores of suspected illegal miners during enforcement operations in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16.

The NSCDC later confirmed that some of the detainees had died while in custody.

Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago subsequently confirmed that the number of deaths had risen to 37, triggering widespread concern among residents and relatives of the deceased.

The NSCDC had initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak but subsequently maintained that the actual cause could only be established through medical and laboratory examinations.

The bodies were deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, where examinations and autopsies are being conducted.

Investigation examines detention conditions

The circumstances surrounding the deaths have led investigators to focus on several aspects of the detention process, including the condition of the suspects when they were arrested, the duration of their detention, the condition of the cells and the medical attention available to them.

Reports have also raised concerns about overcrowding and ventilation at the detention facility.

A separate survivor account cited in reports described the cell as overcrowded and poorly ventilated, raising questions about whether the conditions inside the facility contributed to the deaths.

Those claims, like the allegation about an unidentified substance, remain subject to investigation and should not be treated as established explanations for the deaths.

The medical and forensic examinations are expected to provide evidence that can help determine whether the deaths were caused by illness, environmental conditions, exposure to a substance, suffocation or any other factor.

NSCDC commandant suspended

Following the deaths, the Minister of Interior ordered the suspension of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye.

Tunji-Ojo also directed that a full-scale investigation be conducted into the incident.

The suspension is expected to allow the investigation to proceed without the state commandant remaining in operational control while investigators examine events that occurred under his watch.

The NSCDC has also directed relevant senior officers involved in operations, mining, intelligence, investigation and legal matters to appear before its investigative panel.

The authorities have said the investigation will determine whether any official or individual bears responsibility for the deaths.

Protests erupt in Minna

The deaths have meanwhile triggered protests in parts of Minna, with residents expressing anger over the number of people who died while in government custody.

The protests reportedly resulted in the destruction of government property, a bank, political party offices and private businesses.

Governor Bago consequently imposed a 24-hour curfew in Minna beginning after Friday prayers, saying the measure was necessary to prevent further destruction and restore calm.

The governor appealed to residents to exercise restraint while investigations into the deaths continue.

The unrest has added urgency to calls for authorities to establish the facts surrounding the incident and provide answers to the families of those who died.

Government promises accountability

The Federal Government has said anyone found culpable will not be shielded from accountability.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged Nigerians to allow the investigation to run its course while cautioning against reaching conclusions before the relevant examinations are completed.

The government’s position is that responsibility, if established, should be determined from the evidence gathered during the investigation.

The deaths have also attracted calls from rights groups and political actors for an independent and transparent investigation.

Amid the growing public concern, the survivor’s account has become one of the claims investigators may need to examine carefully.

Cause of deaths still unknown

Despite the allegations emerging from survivors, no official investigation has established that an unidentified substance was responsible for the deaths.

The NSCDC’s earlier reference to a suspected disease outbreak also remains an initial account rather than a confirmed medical finding.

The ongoing autopsies, laboratory tests and other forensic examinations are expected to determine what happened to the detainees and whether there was a common cause behind the deaths.

For the surviving miners, their accounts could provide investigators with important information about what happened inside the detention facility.

For the families of the deceased, however, the immediate demand remains for clear answers about how 37 people arrested during an anti-illegal-mining operation came to lose their lives in custody.

Until the investigations are concluded and the medical evidence made available, the allegation that a substance was sprayed inside the cell remains an unverified account from a survivor, while the official cause of the deaths remains undetermined.