By Emma Ombugadu, Abuja
The Federal Government investigative panel probing the death of detainees in Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, custody in Niger State has recommended prosecution of indicted officers and payment of N1.4 billion compensation to families of victims and survivors.
The panel also recommended summary dismissal of officers principally responsible for the deaths, which it blamed on severe overcrowding, poor ventilation, dehydration and failure to respond to distress calls.
Chairman of the committee, Jonathan Kure, presented the findings to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Tuesday.
Kure said the incident, which occurred between September 16 and 17, 2026, was a preventable custodial tragedy.
“The committee concluded that the incident was a preventable custodial tragedy caused by severe overcrowding, unlawful and unsuitable detention conditions, failure of duty of care, disregard of repeated distress warnings, inadequate supervision, and wider systemic deficiencies,” he said.
The 10-member committee was set up on the directive of President Bola Tinubu following the deaths of persons arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining in Niger State. While initial reports put the death toll at 37, the panel authenticated 33 deaths, identified 41 survivors and established that 14 of the deceased were minors.
Medical and forensic evidence, according to the panel, showed the victims died from environmental asphyxia, acute respiratory failure caused by prolonged confinement in an overcrowded and poorly ventilated cell, aggravated by heat stress and dehydration.
“The incident was a preventable custodial tragedy caused by severe overcrowding, unlawful and unsuitable detention conditions, failure of duty of care, disregard of repeated distress warnings, inadequate supervision, and wider systemic deficiencies. The evidence did not support claims that the death resulted from a disease outbreak.
“Available medical and forensic evidence indicated that the fatalities resulted from an environmental asphyxia, an acute respiratory failure caused by prolonged confinement in a severely overcrowded and poorly ventilated detention cell aggravated by heat stress and dehydration. The evidence did not support claims that the death resulted from a disease outbreak,” Kure said.
The committee said it interviewed NSCDC leadership, operational personnel, cell guards, medical staff, survivors, bereaved families and other witnesses, and reviewed detention registers, communication records, hospital records, autopsy findings and burial records.
It found that NSCDC personnel carried out raids on September 15 and 16 following complaints about mining activities around the Miwishishi axis, without an approved operational order, proper planning or consultation with relevant mining authorities, and without informing the national headquarters.
About 50 male detainees were confined in a cell measuring about 20 square metres, with inadequate ventilation, no running water, poor lighting and no functioning toilet. Food and drinking water were unavailable or grossly inadequate, and adults were held together with minors.
“The detention conditions were found to be grossly inadequate and inconsistent with constitutional safeguards, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, the Child Rights Act, and accepted international standards. The male cell was severely overcrowded and poorly ventilated. It had a solid metal door, inadequate airflow, no running water, poor lighting, and no functioning toilet. Food and drinking water were either unavailable or grossly inadequate,” Kure said.
He said witnesses reported that detainees repeatedly banged on doors and walls, shouted for help and pleaded for water as conditions worsened overnight.
“Despite clear evidence that conditions inside the cell had become life-threatening, officers responsible for detainee welfare failed to open the cell, to decongest the facility, or arrange emergency intervention,” he said.
Deaths occurred between 8pm on September 16 and 7am on September 17 when the cell was eventually opened. Post-mortem was conducted on three bodies, while 30 others had been buried before the medical team arrived.
“The committee confirmed 33 as the verified casualty figure because higher numbers reported immediately after the incident could not be reconciled with available records and identified victims. Post-mortem examinations were conducted on three available bodies,” he said.
The panel found no evidence that an aerosol substance was sprayed into the cell and said the detention area had been cleaned, disinfected and altered before independent forensic investigators arrived, while the detention register for September 16 was unavailable.
“The detention area was cleaned, disinfected, and altered before independent forensic investigators arrived, affecting aspects of the forensic assessment,” he said.
The committee indicted the state commandant for authorising the operation without planning or approval, permitting overcrowding, failing to ensure lawful detention and issuing a false public statement blaming a disease outbreak. It described his actions as gross leadership failure, abuse of authority and serious professional misconduct.
The Head of the Investigation Unit was accused of facilitating unlawful detention and ignoring legal and medical concerns, while other officers were indicted for instructing subordinates not to open the cell, failing to escalate the emergency, profiling minors for detention and participating in cleaning the detention area before examination.
The panel recommended prosecution for offences including murder, criminal negligence, torture and inhuman treatment, and investigation by anti-corruption agencies into allegations of extortion and mismanagement of exhibits, as well as administrative sanctions for other culpable officers.
For restitution, it recommended N30 million for each of the 33 bereaved families and N10 million for each of the 41 survivors, totalling N1.4 billion, plus educational support for dependants, medical rehabilitation for survivors, psychological support and a formal apology by the Federal Government.
“The committee further recommends a restitutive package. This includes compensation of N30m to each of the 33 bereaved families and N10m to each of the 41 survivors, representing a total compensation package of N1.4bn.
“Additional measures include educational support for dependants of deceased victims, medical rehabilitation for survivors, psychological support for affected families, and a formal apology by the Federal Government,” he said.
It also recommended total overhaul and restructuring of NSCDC leadership, construction of standard detention facilities, installation of CCTV in custodial areas, improved emergency medical response, stronger oversight and enhanced human rights training, as well as reforms in recruitment, promotions, discipline and intelligence gathering.
“The committee recommends a total overhaul and restructuring of the leadership of the NSCDC in order to carry out the desired reforms,” Kure said, adding: “The committee concludes that the death of 33 detainees, including 14 minors, was entirely preventable.”
Responding, Tunji-Ojo said the report would be forwarded to the Attorney-General of the Federation for further judicial action.
“The best gift we can give to the deceased is justice. And justice must be done,” he said, adding: “It’s the era of setting up committees just to douse tension. It’s not now.”
The minister said officers involved in concealment or destruction of evidence would face immediate suspension.
“You cannot disrupt and destroy evidence in a case where we lost 30-something people. That is wickedness,” he said.
He said President Tinubu had expressed concern over the incident and the need to protect vulnerable persons in custody.
A member of the committee, Deji Adeyanju, initially raised concern that a section of the report had been expunged from the executive summary presented to the minister.
“I have a slight observation. An important part of this report has been expunged. I don’t know why, because as of yesterday when we finished, and we left, that part of the report was there,” he said, calling for its restoration.
He later clarified after seeing the full report that the section was intact.
“I have just been shown the final report, the bulk of the report, and that part is inside the main report. The reason I raised the alarm was that, if I didn’t see it mentioned in the executive summary, I was scared that maybe it had been removed from the main report. But I have just seen the final main report; it is there. I don’t want these people to die in vain,” Adeyanju said.
