An independent ministerial committee has identified overcrowding, extreme heat and poor detention conditions as factors responsible for the deaths of 33 miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.
The committee disclosed its findings on Tuesday while presenting its investigation report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
The chairman of the committee, Jonathan Kure, said the investigation identified overcrowding, unsuitable detention conditions, failure to provide adequate care and poor supervision as factors that contributed to the deaths.
According to the committee, the detained miners were exposed to extreme heat and dehydration because of overcrowding in the detention facility.
The conditions reportedly made it difficult for the detainees to breathe properly, putting their lives at risk.
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The panel also found that the operation that led to the arrest of the miners was carried out without an operational order or approval from the NSCDC national headquarters.
The findings raise questions about the circumstances surrounding the arrests and the treatment of the suspects while they were in custody.
The committee’s report was submitted to the Minister of Interior as part of efforts to establish the circumstances that led to the deaths and identify lapses in the handling of the detainees.
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