Fourteen children were among 33 detainees who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in Minna, Niger State, in September, according to an independent government investigation report.
The report also revealed that some of those arrested on allegations of illegal mining were displaced persons who had fled communities affected by bandit attacks.
The findings are contained in a report by the Independent Investigation Committee constituted by the Federal Ministry of Interior to investigate the deaths recorded following the arrest of suspected illegal miners.
According to the committee, the detainees, comprising men, women and children, were arrested during raids on suspected illegal mining sites on September 15 and 16.
The investigation established that 33 people died while in custody, including 14 verified minors.
The committee attributed the deaths to severe overcrowding, poor ventilation, environmental asphyxia and what it described as gross custodial negligence.
The report stated that the conditions inside the detention facility resulted in a total collapse of the available atmosphere, leaving detainees unable to breathe adequately.
It further confirmed that four of the deceased children were below the age of 14.
The committee condemned the detention of children alongside adults in the same cell, describing the practice as a violation of child-protection requirements.
It noted that holding minors with adult detainees breached established safeguards designed to protect children in conflict with the law.
According to the report, the practice also demonstrated a disregard for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps’ Standard Operating Procedures.
The revelation that some detainees were reportedly displaced by bandit attacks has added another dimension to the incident, raising concerns about the circumstances surrounding their arrest, detention and treatment.
The findings have also renewed questions about the screening of arrested persons, the protection of vulnerable individuals and the responsibility of security agencies to ensure the safety of people in their custody.
The investigation committee has separately recommended 1.4 billion naira in compensation for the families of the deceased and survivors, alongside full educational scholarships for the surviving children of those who died.
It proposed 30 million naira for each of the 33 bereaved families and 10 million naira for each of the 41 survivors.
The committee also recommended the release of officers cleared of culpability.
The findings have placed renewed focus on custodial accountability, child protection and the need to prevent a recurrence of deaths in detention facilities.
