37 Miners Suffocated in 20-Square-Meter Cell, Report Finds

Thirty-seven Nigerian men died from suffocation while held in a single police cell, according to a government investigation released Tuesday. The findings overturn the initial account provided by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), which had attributed the deaths to a disease outbreak. Survivors of the incident rejected that explanation immediately after the event.

The victims, accused of illegal mining in Niger State, were detained in September. The NSCDC officers held them in a space measuring approximately 20 square meters (215 square feet). Jonathan Kure, head of the committee established by the Ministry of the Interior, stated that roughly 50 detainees were confined in that area. Kure described the conditions as a result of severe overcrowding, illegal detention practices, and a failure of duty of care.

The report further identified the agency's neglect of repeated calls for help and insufficient supervision as contributing factors. Kure noted that the detentions were carried out without proper planning or consultation with the relevant local authorities. The committee cited wider systemic deficiencies in the agency's operations.

In response to the findings, Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo suspended the local commander and several officers involved in the detention. The panel recommended a financial settlement for the affected families and survivors. Families of the deceased are to receive 30 million nairas (22,000 dollars) each, while the 41 survivors will receive 10 million nairas (7,000 dollars) each.

The incident has sparked protests and renewed scrutiny of Nigeria's detention system. Analysts link the prevalence of illegal mining in the country to weak regulatory enforcement and note that the activity finances armed groups.