Report Details Deplorable Conditions Before 33 Detainees Died in Niger NSCDC Cell

An independent investigation committee has uncovered severe detention conditions at the Niger State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), where 33 suspected illegal miners died in custody in September.

The committee, established by the Federal Ministry of Interior, found that detainees in the male cell had no access to drinking water, while the toilet was not functioning. Survivors reportedly resorted to drinking urine or sweat to cope with extreme thirst.

The 10-member committee, led by Jonathan Kure, established that the deaths occurred between 8 p.m. on September 16 and 7 a.m. on September 17, 2026. It identified 14 minors among the deceased and recorded 41 survivors.

According to the report, approximately 50 male detainees, including children, were confined in a poorly ventilated cell measuring about 12 square metres. The facility had a solid metal door, no running water and an unusable toilet.

The detainees reportedly experienced extreme heat, dehydration, eye irritation, burning throats and difficulty breathing. They repeatedly shouted and banged on the cell door, pleading for water and assistance.

The committee found that officers ignored warnings from medical personnel about the dangers of overcrowding and possible suffocation. A member of the NSCDC medical unit, Mariam Nelson, reportedly advised cell guards to improve ventilation by leaving the metal door unlocked, but her warning was not acted upon.

An armoury guard, Ahmed Abubakar Wushishi, also told the committee that he heard persistent screams and banging between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. on September 17. He said he urged the night guard, Hassan Mohammed, to open the cell, but the request was refused because of instructions from a superior.

The report stated that the screaming stopped at about 2:30 a.m. The supervising officer, Usman Ndamaka, reportedly admitted instructing the night guard not to open the cell without armed backup. He also acknowledged failing to respond to an emergency call made the previous night.

The committee attributed the deaths to acute hypoxic respiratory failure, also known as environmental asphyxia, aggravated by heat stress and dehydration. However, it noted that the medical conclusion was based on post-mortem examinations of only three bodies, as the other 30 had been buried before the medical team arrived.

The investigation also found that four children under the age of 14 had been processed into adult detention cells, while minors and adults were held together in overcrowded conditions.

It identified failures in duty of care, inadequate detention facilities, poor emergency medical arrangements and weak institutional supervision as contributing factors. The committee rejected claims that a disease outbreak caused the deaths, saying available medical and forensic evidence did not support that explanation.

It recommended the prosecution of officers found responsible for offences including murder, criminal negligence, torture and inhuman treatment, where applicable.

The findings followed the September incident, which sparked public outrage and renewed calls for accountability over the treatment of suspects in security agency custody.