Thirty-seven prisoners have died after being held in a cramped detention cell in Minna, the capital of Nigeria's Niger state. Thirty-three cellmates died inside the room, measuring approximately 6m by 3m, with more than 50 other prisoners, and four more died later in hospital.
One survivor, Usman Muhammad, described the heat as unbearable, stating that touching other bodies felt like fire. He alleged that when a prisoner fainted and they asked a guard for water, the guard looked at the fainted individual and closed the door. Another survivor, Adamu Isah, told Reuters that security officers were informed people were dying but allegedly responded it was not their problem.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) had arrested a large group of artisanal miners near Minna last Tuesday and Wednesday. The NSCDC has not directly responded to accusations of neglect but has confirmed that 24 of its personnel, including its suspended Niger state commandant Suberu Aniviye, are in custody in connection with the deaths.
Federal officials initially attributed the deaths to a diphtheria outbreak, but the exact cause is now under investigation. Niger state Governor Umaru Bago has welcomed the government-ordered investigation, and a 10-member committee has been established with two weeks to determine the causes of death and identify those responsible.