Niger State Governor Umar Bago has revealed that he witnessed gruesome scenes at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) facility where 37 suspected illegal miners died in custody. During a visit to the facility, Bago saw several dead bodies with bloodstains, burns, bruises, and cuts. The governor described the condition of the detainees as disturbing, with bodies lying on the floor and outside the cell.
According to Bago, the NSCDC facility is a new office and not an old detention centre. However, he questioned whether the cell was large enough to accommodate the number of detainees reportedly held there. The governor's visit was prompted by reports of the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who were arrested during enforcement operations around the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis on September 15 and 16.
One witness, Ibrahim Adamu, alleged that detainees were beaten after being arrested over suspected illegal mining. Adamu claimed that the law does not permit the killing of individuals through torture or beating. Another source, whose brother was among the deceased, alleged that NSCDC officers demanded N500,000 for his release and that he witnessed detainees being beaten with sticks and iron before leaving the facility.
The NSCDC has confirmed that several suspected illegal miners died in its custody but has said the actual cause of death has not been established. The Corps initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak but later clarified that any claim linking the deaths to a specific disease had not been medically or scientifically established.
In response to the incident, the NSCDC has constituted a high-powered investigative team led by the Deputy Commandant General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation to probe the incident. The investigation will examine the condition of the suspects when they were arrested, their period in custody, the conditions of detention, and the medical attention provided to them.
The remains of the deceased were deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination and determination of the actual cause of death. The Corps also cautioned against prematurely attributing the deaths to any particular disease pending the outcome of medical and laboratory examinations. Governor Bago ordered that the bodies be taken to the state mortuary, while those who were still alive were rushed to hospital.
The incident has raised concerns about the treatment of detainees in NSCDC custody. Governor Bago's visit and the NSCDC's investigation are aimed at uncovering the truth behind the deaths. The size of the cell will need to be properly assessed to determine whether it was suitable for the number of people detained there, according to the governor.
Key points
- The NSCDC has launched an investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in its custody.
- Niger State Governor Umar Bago witnessed gruesome conditions at the NSCDC facility where the detainees died.
- The cause of death of the detainees has not been medically or scientifically established, according to the NSCDC.
