A surviving miner detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State has alleged that an unidentified substance was sprayed inside their cell shortly before several detainees began collapsing.
The miner made the allegation during a visit to the state by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who was accompanied by the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago.
The account came amid an investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who were being held in NSCDC custody in Minna.
“They sprayed something in the cell after putting us inside, and people started falling down,” the surviving miner recounted.
The allegation has added a fresh dimension to the circumstances surrounding the deaths, which the NSCDC had initially linked to a suspected disease outbreak.
The Federal Government, meanwhile, has constituted a “high-powered” team to investigate the incident and establish what led to the deaths.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, announced the deployment in a statement on Friday, saying the team would work with other investigators to produce a comprehensive report.
“Given the allegation that the detained persons were arrested on suspicion of carrying out illegal mining, I have deployed a high-powered team of officials to Niger State to investigate the circumstances and ascertain the facts of the matter,” Alake said.
“The team will collaborate with other investigators to provide a comprehensive report on the incident.”
The minister said the investigation was necessary to establish the facts and determine what happened to the detainees.
He also expressed condolences to Bago and the people of Niger State, describing the deaths as a tragedy affecting families and communities across the state.
“It is with profound shock and deep sorrow that I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Governor of Niger State, His Excellency, Mohammed Umaru Bago, and the entire people of the state over the tragic loss of lives among detained citizens in Minna,” Alake said.
“The loss of any life is a deeply painful occurrence, and a tragedy of this magnitude affects us all.
“During this solemn period of state mourning, my thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families and the communities bearing the weight of this grief.”
The development followed a statement by the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, who said the suspects had been arrested during operations conducted on September 15 and 16.
Aniviye said “scores of the detained suspects were found dead in the early hours of Thursday following a suspected outbreak of disease”.
Following the deaths, the Federal Government suspended the commandant and ordered a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Alake commended Bago for his “swift administrative response” to the incident, including the declaration of a period of mourning and the establishment of an investigative framework.
He said the inquiry must be thorough, transparent and independent enough to establish accountability and prevent similar incidents in detention and correctional facilities.
The surviving miner’s account is expected to form part of the issues investigators will examine as they seek to determine what caused the deaths and whether any factors inside the detention facility contributed to the incident.
The investigation is also expected to clarify the allegation concerning the substance allegedly sprayed in the cell and establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the 37 detainees.
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