Minna: Thirty seven people arrested on suspicion of illegal mining have died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, Niger State, prompting protests, several investigations and the suspension of the state commandant.
The suspects were arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining activities on September 15 and 16 in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State. Their bodies were taken to General Hospital in Minna for medical examination, while the state government ordered forensic examinations and autopsies to establish the exact cause of death.
The cause of the deaths has not yet been established.
The NSCDC initially said the deaths followed a suspected disease outbreak, but the agency said the actual cause had not been confirmed and would have to be established through medical examinations.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago confirmed that 37 detainees had died in NSCDC custody and described the incident as tragic. He declared three days of mourning in the state and ordered an inquiry into the deaths.
The state government also ordered forensic examinations and autopsies to establish the exact cause of death and examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Nigeria's Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji Ojo ordered the suspension of Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, the NSCDC commandant in Niger State, pending a full investigation.
The NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, also ordered an investigative team to examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The investigation is expected to examine the condition of the detainees when they were arrested, the period they spent in custody, the conditions in which they were held and the medical attention they received.
Police in Niger State have also opened an investigation. Commissioner of Police Adamu Elleman ordered officers to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Questions have been raised about the conditions inside the detention facility.
Dauda Shehu, a survivor of the incident, said about 65 detainees had been held in a poorly ventilated cell. He said the detainees struggled to breathe and tried to attract the attention of guards by banging on the cell door.
An intelligence report also pointed to overcrowding and inadequate ventilation as possible factors in the deaths. However, these reports have not established the medical cause of death.
The authorities have not confirmed that the detainees died from suffocation. Likewise, the suspected disease outbreak mentioned by the NSCDC has not been established as the cause.
The deaths triggered protests in Minna on Thursday evening, with demonstrators demanding justice. Some vehicles and other property were damaged during the unrest.
Security forces were deployed in parts of the city, and the situation became calmer by Friday morning.
Amnesty International has called for an independent investigation into the deaths and the conditions in which the suspects were held. The organisation has urged authorities to establish the circumstances surrounding the arrests and detention and ensure accountability if wrongdoing is found.
The incident occurred as Nigerian authorities continue efforts to control illegal mining. Niger State is rich in minerals, including gold, and attracts many artisanal miners.
Authorities have sought to curb illegal mining because of concerns about environmental damage and lost government revenue. The government has also increased enforcement against unlicensed mining activities in several parts of the country.
The immediate focus, however, remains on the deaths in custody.
Authorities have yet to establish the precise cause of death, the full conditions inside the detention facility and whether any failures in detention procedures or medical care contributed to the deaths.
The findings of the medical examinations, autopsies and investigations are expected to shed light on the cause of the deaths and the circumstances in which they occurred.