Key facts
- 33 detainees died in a cramped Nigerian prison cell, with four more dying later in hospital.
- Survivors described extreme heat and dehydration, with temperatures feeling like 'fire burning'.
- The cell, measuring approximately 6m by 3m, held over 50 people with limited ventilation.
- The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) arrested the miners for alleged illegal artisanal mining.
- 24 NSCDC personnel, including the suspended Niger state commandant, are in custody.
- A government committee has been established to investigate the deaths and assign responsibility.
Usman Muhammad, a survivor of a Nigerian detention center, recounted the harrowing experience of watching 33 cellmates die from extreme heat and dehydration. The incident occurred in a small, overcrowded cell at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) detention facility in Minna, the capital of Niger state. Muhammad described the conditions as unbearable, with temperatures feeling like 'fire burning' and humidity levels exceeding 90%.
Muhammad, who is in his 20s and works as an artisanal miner, was arrested along with a large group of other miners by the NSCDC last Tuesday and Wednesday. He stated that the cell, measuring roughly 6m by 3m, held over 50 people, with standing room only. Ventilation was limited to a small, high-up window. As the heat and dehydration intensified, some detainees resorted to drinking their own urine and collecting sweat to survive.
Survivors allege that despite pleas for help and attempts to break down the door, guards were unresponsive. Muhammad recounted a guard looking at a fainting detainee and closing the door. Another survivor, Adamu Isah, told Reuters that guards dismissed their cries, stating it wasn't their problem if people died. The cell door was finally opened on Thursday, revealing the extent of the tragedy.
Federal officials initially attributed the deaths to a diphtheria outbreak, but an investigation is now underway. The NSCDC has not directly addressed accusations of neglect but has confirmed that 24 of its personnel are in custody in connection with the deaths, including its suspended Niger state commandant, Suberu Aniviye. Niger state Governor Umaru Bago expressed his commitment to uncovering the truth, stating, 'The people who were killed are not flies. How can this go unlooked?' A 10-member committee has been formed to determine the exact causes and identify those responsible, with Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo assuring that no officer would be protected.