Survivors report mass deaths in Nigerian detention facility

Thirty-seven detainees have died while being held in a detention facility in Minna, the capital of Nigeria’s Niger State. The individuals, many of whom were teenagers employed in artisanal gold mines, had been apprehended by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) during a series of raids aimed at regulating illegal mining operations.

Three survivors of the incident have alleged that prison guards sprayed an unidentified substance into the crowded cell. According to these survivors, the guards subsequently kept the cell doors locked and ignored repeated cries for help as the detainees began to die.

In the wake of the deaths, which were confirmed on Thursday morning, the NSCDC initially suggested that a disease outbreak might have been responsible. However, the agency later stated that the cause of death had not been established and remains under investigation. Authorities presented the bodies to the media on Thursday, but the specific cause of death has not been independently verified.

The incident has sparked protests across Nigeria and intensified public scrutiny regarding the treatment of suspects in detention facilities, particularly those held for extended periods while awaiting trial. The NSCDC, the Nigerian interior ministry, and the Niger state government have not provided responses to inquiries regarding the circumstances of the deaths.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a formal investigation into the matter. As part of the government's response, several senior officials from the NSCDC have been suspended pending the outcome of the inquiry.