Survivors Recount Final Hours Before 37 Miners Died in Niger NSCDC Cell

The final hours of 37 suspected illegal miners who died in Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps custody in Niger State are now at the centre of an investigation, with survivors recounting a frantic struggle for air inside an overcrowded cell.

The detainees were arrested during operations targeting suspected illegal mining activities around the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of the state.

Survivor Dauda Shehu, who is receiving treatment in Minna, said conditions inside the cell became increasingly difficult after a large number of detainees were confined together.

He described a situation in which detainees struggled to breathe and repeatedly appealed for help.

Shehu alleged that people inside the cell banged on the door after some detainees began collapsing.

Another survivor, who declined to be identified, said his proximity to the entrance helped him escape the worst of the conditions.

The accounts have placed detention conditions under intense scrutiny, although investigators have yet to establish the official cause of death. 

The NSCDC has rejected speculation over the precise cause, saying medical and laboratory examinations must be completed before conclusions are drawn.

The Corps has established an investigative team led by a Deputy Commandant General to examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Its investigation is expected to cover the conditions under which the suspects were arrested, how they were handled after arrival at the detention facility, the duration of their detention and the medical assistance available to them.

Governor Bago has disclosed that 67 artisanal and suspected illegal miners were detained, with 37 later reported dead. Authorities are examining overcrowding and possible exposure to hazardous substances from mining operations as potential factors. 

The tragedy has also moved beyond the detention facility, with protests erupting in Minna over the deaths.

The Federal Government has suspended the Niger State NSCDC commandant while promising a full investigation.

For relatives of those who died, the investigation is expected to answer questions about how so many people could die while under government custody.

The findings will also determine whether the deaths resulted from medical, environmental or detention-related factors, or a combination of circumstances.