Panel Says Overcrowding, Heat Stress Caused Deaths of 37 Miners in NSCDC Custody

By Adedapo Adesanya

The independent ministerial committee investigating the recent deaths of 37 minor miners in the custody of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, has unravelled the cause of death of the victims.

In the executive summary presented by the chairman of the committee, Mr Jonathan Kure, on Tuesday in Abuja, while submitting the report to the Minister of Interior, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the committee cited the causes of death to include “overcrowding, unsuitable detention conditions, failure of duty of care, inadequate supervision”.

“The committee concluded that the incident was a preventable custodial tragedy caused by severe overcrowding, unlawful and unsuitable detention conditions, failure of duty of care, disregard of repeated distress warnings, inadequate supervision, and wider systemic deficiencies.

“The evidence did not support claims that the death resulted from a disease outbreak.

“Available medical and forensic evidence instead indicated that the fatalities resulted from an environmental asphyxia, an acute respiratory failure caused by prolonged confinement in a severely overcrowded and poorly ventilated detention cell, aggravated by heat stress and dehydration.

“The investigation included interviews with NACDC leadership, operational personnel, cell guards, medical staff, survivors, bereaved families, community representatives, and graveside managers.

“It also involved examination of arrest and detention registers, communication records, duty rosters, AZB registers, hospital and mortuary records, autopsy findings, and burial records. 29 of the 41 survivors were interviewed, including nine minors.

“Evidence from multiple independent sources was analysed and cross-checked to reconstruct events and determine responsibility.

“The committee established that the tragedy stemmed from enforcement operations against suspected illegal mining activities in and around Minna,” the statement reads.

According to the committee, the operation which led to the arrest of the suspects was without an “operational order” or approval from the national headquarters of the NSCDC.

In September, the NSCDC said the detainees had been held in raids on suspected illegal mines on September 15 to 16 in the Wushishi-Lukoto area west of Minna but were all found dead the next day.