ABUJA, Nigeria – An independent investigative committee has recommended compensation for the families of 33 people who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, and 44 survivors, after linking the fatalities to overcrowding, extreme heat and dehydration.
The committee, chaired by Jonathan Kure, presented its findings to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to the report, the deaths were avoidable and occurred under inhumane detention conditions. The committee identified overcrowding, unsuitable facilities, failure of duty of care and inadequate supervision as contributing factors. The report’s executive summary attributed the fatalities to “environmental asphyxia caused by prolonged confinement in a severely overcrowded cell aggravated by heat stress and dehydration.”
The committee also found that the operation leading to the arrests had been conducted without an operational order or approval from the NSCDC national headquarters, raising questions about authorisation and oversight.
Beyond compensation for the affected families and survivors, the committee recommended the summary dismissal of the Niger State NSCDC commandant and other officers directly implicated in the detention preceding the deaths. It also called for institutional reforms to strengthen leadership and prevent a recurrence.
The committee further raised concerns about the handling of the detention facility after the deaths. Receiving the report, Tunji-Ojo pledged to implement its recommendations to ensure justice for those affected. He also ordered the immediate suspension of officers accused of cleaning the detention centre in an alleged attempt to destroy evidence.
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