Key facts
- At least 37 detainees died in a crowded cell in Minna, Nigeria, after guards allegedly sprayed an unknown substance and locked the doors.
- Many of the deceased were teenagers aged 14 to 18, working in illegal gold mines.
- Survivors described a lack of ventilation and a struggle for air.
- The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) initially blamed the deaths on a disease outbreak.
- An intelligence report suggested overcrowding and inadequate ventilation were responsible for the deaths.
- President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered an investigation into the deaths.
At least 37 detainees, many of them teenagers, died in a crowded cell in Minna, Nigeria, after guards allegedly sprayed an unknown substance and locked the doors. Survivors described a lack of ventilation and a struggle for breath, with some appealing to guards for help.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), a paramilitary group, had raided suspected illegal goldmines and detained dozens of miners. The NSCDC initially blamed the deaths on a disease outbreak, but an intelligence report seen by Agence France-Presse suggested overcrowding and inadequate ventilation were responsible. State governor Umar Bago confirmed that many of the dead were children aged 14 to 18, who were working in the mines instead of attending school.
Protests erupted in Minna following the deaths, with residents and relatives of the deceased gathering near the NSCDC office. Police fired teargas and live rounds to disperse the crowds, some of whom were armed with sticks and machetes, and attempted to set fire to government buildings. A Reuters witness reported seeing at least one body on the streets.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered an investigation into the deaths, and Nigeria's interior minister ordered the immediate suspension of the Niger state NSCDC commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, pending the outcome of the investigation. The state governor declared three days of mourning.