EXCLUSIVE: Inside Horror Cell – 33 Detainees, Including 14 Children, Perish in NSCDC Custody as Cover-Up Unravels!

A committee investigating the deaths of 33 detainees in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, in September, has recommended substantial compensation, educational scholarships, and a comprehensive overhaul of the NSCDC operations. The Independent Investigation Committee, which submitted its report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on October 27, proposed N30 million for each of the 33 bereaved families, totaling N990 million, and N10 million for each of the 41 survivors, amounting to N410 million, bringing the total compensation to N1.4 billion.

The committee also recommended full educational scholarships, from primary to tertiary levels, for the surviving children of the deceased. These payments, including tuition and living stipends, are to be managed through an institutional trust or escrow arrangement involving the National Human Rights Commission and the Minna Emirate Council, to prevent fund diversion and family disputes. The report identified three deceased detainees whose wives were pregnant at the time of the investigation. Additionally, fully funded medical rehabilitation was recommended for all 41 survivors, with priority given to the nine minors, alongside psychosocial support for both survivors and bereaved families. A formal letter of apology from the Minister of Interior to the affected families and survivors, on behalf of the Federal Government, was also urged.

The tragic incident, which occurred between the evening of September 16 and the morning of September 17, saw 33 detainees, including 14 minors, perish in a severely overcrowded male cell measuring approximately 12 square meters. The cell, designed for a maximum occupancy of 10, confined about 50 male detainees, including children. Conditions were described as cruel, inhuman, and degrading, with extreme heat, dehydration, and inadequate ventilation. Survivors reported drinking their own urine or sweat due to the complete lack of drinking water, and the toilet was non-functional. Detainees were unable to move freely due to overcrowding, and some collapsed as conditions worsened. The committee authenticated 33 deaths and identified 41 survivors, including nine minors.

The committee attributed the deaths to acute hypoxic respiratory failure, also known as environmental asphyxia, exacerbated by heat stress and dehydration. This conclusion was based on post-mortem examinations of only three available bodies, as the other 30 had been buried before the medical team arrived. The report explicitly rejected claims of a disease outbreak, a narrative falsely propagated by the Niger State Commandant of the NSCDC, Siyaka Suberu, in a fabricated press statement intended to conceal the custodial tragedy. NSCDC Commandant General Ahmed Audi publicly debunked Suberu's claim, noting that the national headquarters had no prior knowledge of the mass raids and that Suberu had acted without clearance.

The investigation revealed that the NSCDC operation, which involved raids on suspected illegal mining sites on September 15 and 16, lacked an approved operational order, proper planning, or consultation with relevant mining authorities. The specialized Mining Marshals Unit was not involved, and the NSCDC national headquarters was not informed. Men, women, and children were arrested, and by the evening of September 16, 75 people were detained, with 74 remaining in custody overnight. The report also highlighted that some of the arrested artisanal miners were internally displaced persons (IDPs) from communities ravaged by bandit attacks, who had turned to mining for survival. One detainee, Emmanuel Emeka, was unlawfully held over a private debt complaint, unrelated to mining, highlighting issues of unlawful detention beyond permitted periods without court orders or remand warrants. Children were also illegally held alongside adults, violating child-protection requirements.

Crucial warnings were ignored on the evening of September 16, when Mariam Nelson, an NSCDC medical unit personnel, cautioned cell guards, Usman Ndamaka and Hassan Mohammed, that overcrowding could lead to suffocation and advised leaving the metal door unlocked for ventilation. This warning was disregarded. Detainees began experiencing severe symptoms and crying for help, banging on the cell door and walls, and pleading for water from around 7:15 p.m. An armoury guard, Ahmed Abubakar Wushishi, testified to hearing persistent banging and screams between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. on September 17, urging the night guard to open the cell. However, the guard refused, citing instructions from his superior, Mr. Ndamaka, not to open the cell without armed backup due to escape fears. Mr. Ndamaka admitted instructing the night guard not to open the cell without armed backup and ignoring an emergency call from Mr. Mohammed, claiming he was asleep. The screaming ceased around 2:30 a.m., and the cell was finally opened around 7 a.m., revealing the bodies.

The committee recommended the immediate lifting of the suspension of 18 NSCDC officers not found culpable, including three deputy commandants. Four officers whose interventions and testimonies were deemed helpful were recommended for formal commendations and protection as key prosecution witnesses. Conversely, disciplinary sanctions were recommended against four other officers for gross management incompetence. The panel also called for disciplinary and legal action against officers found responsible for the deaths, including for offenses such as murder, criminal negligence, torture, and inhuman treatment.

Beyond punitive measures, the committee advocated a formal overhaul of the NSCDC, encompassing improved detention facilities, enhanced staff training, stricter supervision, and independent inspection of operations. It specifically recommended the installation of tamper-proof, cloud-backed CCTV cameras in cell blocks, booking areas, and corridors, with mandatory video-retention protocols. The federal government was also urged to support the formalization of artisanal mining and establish a consultative forum involving the NSCDC, miners' associations, traditional councils, and local governments to address challenges in the sector. Further complicating the investigation, the committee found that the detention cells had been scrubbed, washed, disinfected, and altered (with additional ventilation openings and re-numbered doors) before independent forensic inspection, and the detention register for September 16 was missing, interfering with physical evidence and limiting forensic assessment.