An independent investigative committee has found that officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) ignored prolonged cries for help from detainees in an overcrowded cell in Minna, Niger State, where 33 suspected illegal miners, including 14 minors, died in September 2026.
The committee chairman, retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Jonathan Kure, disclosed the findings on Tuesday while presenting the panel’s report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja. The victims were among dozens of people arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16.
According to the report, the deaths occurred between the evening of September 16 and the morning of September 17, following the failure of officers to respond to repeated pleas for water and emergency assistance. The committee described the incident as a preventable tragedy caused by overcrowding, poor ventilation, denial of basic necessities and supervisory failures.
It reported that about 50 male detainees, including children, were held in a cell measuring approximately 12 square metres, with inadequate ventilation, no running water and no functional toilet. The report said an armoury guard, Ahmed Abubakar Wushishi, heard screams and banging between 1am and 2am on September 17 and urged the night cell guard, Assistant Superintendent of Corps I Hassan Mohammed, to investigate.
Mohammed reportedly refused to open the cell, citing instructions from his superior, Superintendent of Corps Ndamaka Isah Usman, not to do so without armed backup. The committee said subsequent attempts to obtain assistance were unsuccessful. The screams reportedly stopped around 2:30am, but the cell was not opened until approximately 7am, when officers discovered the bodies.
Medical evidence reviewed by the panel indicated that the examined victims died from acute respiratory failure consistent with environmental asphyxia. The committee rejected claims that a disease outbreak caused the deaths. Only three victims underwent post-mortem examinations because the other bodies had been buried before the medical team arrived.
The panel also found that nine of the 41 survivors were minors. It recommended disciplinary and legal action against officers found responsible, as well as reforms to detention practices to prevent similar incidents. The Federal Government established the 10-member committee on President Bola Tinubu’s directive to investigate the deaths and recommend appropriate measures.
