Niger Detainee Deaths: Survivors Accuse Guards of Locking Cell as 37 Die

Three survivors of a deadly detention incident in Minna, Niger State, have accused Nigerian prison guards of spraying an unidentified substance into a crowded cell and keeping the doors locked as detainees cried for help.

The incident left 37 detainees dead, including several teenagers who had been working in artisanal gold mines, according to the survivors. The deaths have since sparked protests and renewed scrutiny of detention conditions and the treatment of suspects held by security agencies.

The detainees were reportedly arrested after the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) raided suspected illegal gold mining sites in Minna, the Niger State capital. The operation was part of efforts to regulate mining activities in the area.

The survivors told Reuters that the substance was sprayed inside the crowded cell before detainees began experiencing distress. They alleged that the doors remained locked despite cries for assistance, but the substance itself has not been identified.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered an investigation into the deaths. His administration had earlier suspended some senior NSCDC officials while the investigation into the incident continues.

The NSCDC, the Federal Ministry of Interior, which oversees the agency, and the Niger State Government did not respond to written questions from Reuters about the allegations. Authorities displayed the bodies to journalists on Thursday, but Reuters said it could not independently establish the cause of death.

The deaths have intensified concerns about Nigeria’s detention system, particularly the conditions faced by people held for extended periods while awaiting trial. The survivors’ account remains subject to investigation, and the circumstances surrounding the deaths have yet to be conclusively established.