Miners’ deaths: Panel recommends summary dismissal, prosecution of NSCDC officers, N1.4bn for victims
ABUJA—An independent ministerial committee has recommended summary dismissal, administrative sanctions and prosecution of some officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, over the deaths of 33 detainees in the custody of its Niger State command in Minna, along with N1.4 billion in compensation for victims and survivors.
The committee’s chairman, Jonathan Kure, who presented the report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja, yesterday, described the deaths as “entirely preventable.”
Kure said 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 evidence did not support claims that the deaths resulted from a disease outbreak.
According to him, “available medical and forensic evidence instead 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 65-page report, of which 46 pages form the main body, examined the arrest, detention, treatment and deaths of detainees between September 15 and 17, 2026. It was commissioned by the minister, following a presidential directive.
The committee said the tragedy stemmed from enforcement operations against suspected illegal mining in and around Minna.
Kure said: “The operation was undertaken without an approved operational order, proper planning and consultation with relevant mining authorities, or involvement of the specialised Mining Marshals unit. National headquarters was not informed before the operation commenced,” he added.
He said the raids led to the arrest of men, women and children, and that by the evening of September 16, 75 persons had been detained.
He said after one release, 74 remained in custody overnight, with about 50 male detainees confined in a cell measuring about 20 square metres.
The committee said the cell had “a solid metal door, inadequate airflow, no running water, poor lighting, and no functioning toilet.”
It said food and drinking water were either unavailable or grossly inadequate, adding that adults and minors were held together.
It found that the conditions breached constitutional safeguards, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, the Child Rights Act and accepted international standards.
The committee concluded that they “amounted to cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, and created an environment, in which fatalities became foreseeable and preventable.”
Kure said signs of distress began shortly after 7pm on September 16 and continued through the night. “Detainees repeatedly banged on cell doors and walls, shouted for assistance, and pleaded for water,” he said.
“These distress calls were heard by officers assigned to nearby duties,” he said.
He said medical personnel had earlier raised concerns about poor ventilation and the risk of suffocation, but “were not acted upon.”
Officers, he said, “failed to open the cell, decongest the facility, or arrange emergency intervention.”
The deaths occurred inside the male cell between 8pm on September 16 and 7am on September 17, 2026.
“By the time the cell was opened, many detainees had died,” Kure said.
The committee authenticated 33 deaths, 14 of them minors, and identified 41 survivors, adding that the higher figures reported immediately after the incident “could not be reconciled with available records and identified victims.”
Though some survivors alleged that an aerosol substance was sprayed into the cell before the deaths, Kure said the committee found no evidence to support this claim and concluded that the allegation remained unproven on the available evidence.
The committee held individual officers responsible, stressing that the State Commandant, Suberu Siaka, authorised and supervised the operation without proper planning, approval or oversight, giving rise to overcrowding.
It said the Head of the Investigation Unit, T. S. Sodiq, facilitated unlawful detention practices, ignored legal and medical concerns, and failed to act, despite direct awareness of the deteriorating conditions.
SC Usman Ndamaka was accused of maintaining overcrowded conditions, instructing subordinates not to open the cell, failing to respond to emergency alerts, and taking part in the cleaning and alteration of the detention area before independent examination.
The committee said ASC I Hassan Mohammed failed to open the cell, despite repeated distress signals and did not adequately escalate the emergency, while DSC Abubakar Dabang profiled the suspects into detention, including minors, and failed to protect their rights and properly document exhibits.
It said DSC Musa Marafat unlawfully arrested and detained Emmanuel Emeka over a civil debt dispute unrelated to mining, contributing directly to his continued unlawful detention until his death.
Beyond individual misconduct, it identified institutional weaknesses in the NSCDC, including “inadequate detention infrastructure, lack of effective custodial oversight, absence of CCTV monitoring systems, weak documentation practices, poor emergency medical capability, ineffective supervision, weak intelligence reporting arrangements, workforce imbalance, and chronic underfunding.”
It said these deficiencies created an environment in which serious violations occurred and “would continue to occur without timely detention intervention.”
The detention register for 16th September 2026 was unavailable, 30 of the 33 deceased were buried before post-mortem examinations, and the detention area was cleaned, disinfected and altered before independent forensic investigators arrived. It nonetheless concluded that “sufficient evidence existed to establish the essential facts, causes, and responsibilities.”
On accountability, the committee recommended “summary dismissal of officers found primarily responsible; prosecution for offences, including murder, criminal negligence, torture, and inhuman treatment where applicable; as well as investigation by anti-corruption agencies into allegations of extortion and exhibit mismanagement.”
It also recommended administrative sanctions for officers whose failures contributed to the incident but “did not amount to primary culpability.”
On compensation, the committee recommended N30 million for each of the 33 bereaved families and N10 million for each of the 41 survivors, totalling N1.4 billion.
It also recommended educational support for dependents of the deceased, medical rehabilitation for survivors, psychological support for affected families, and a formal apology by the federal government. To prevent a recurrence, it recommended construction of standard detention facilities across all NSCDC commands, installation of closed-circuit television, CCTV, systems in custodial areas, an independent inspectorate and custodial oversight mechanism, enhanced custodial management and human rights training, among others.
Kure appealed for political will to ensure the recommendations were brought to implementation.”
FG vows justice
Receiving the report, the Minister, Tunji-Ojo, said: “I want to assure you, nothing will be swept under the carpet.”
He recalled that after the committee’s inauguration, he went to see President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, “and I never saw him more passionate about justice than that day. The era of setting up committees just to downplay tension is not now.’’
He said the 10-member committee was carefully chosen, adding that none of the members was appointee of government.
He said there would be “a complete review” of the NSCDC, as the government had done in the Nigeria Immigration Service, and Correctional Service and the Fire Service.
He said: “A single bad apple shouldn’t describe the apple tree. But, of course, of those that have goofed, there will be repercussions.”
The minister said officers who concealed or doctored evidence must be suspended with immediate effect, pending internal investigation and other disciplinary action.
“You cannot destroy evidence in a case where we lost 30-something people. That is wickedness,” he said.
Tunji-Ojo said the report would be forwarded to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice for judicial action where necessary.
He added that the ministry would work with the NSCDC to ensure “that a body, an agency set up to protect Nigerians does not end up hurting Nigerians.
“To the families of the deceased, we want to assure you, this government will never leave you alone. We will make sure justice is done to serve the memory of the lost ones.”
