NSCDC custody deaths and Nigeria’s detention crisis

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Recently, thirty-seven illegal miners were arrested and detained in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna but never came out alive. That grim fact alone demands a thorough reckoning with Nigeria’s detention system and the accountability of agencies entrusted with the custody of lawfully detained citizens.

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Whatever offences they were accused of committing, none had been convicted. Their detention could not extinguish their constitutional rights to life and dignity. The circumstances surrounding their deaths must therefore be established independently, transparently and without institutional defensiveness in the ongoing investigations.

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The conflicting explanations make this imperative. The NSCDC initially suggested a possible disease outbreak before acknowledging that the precise cause of death had not been established. Other accounts have pointed to overcrowding and poor ventilation. These explanations cannot be left to compete indefinitely. Only a credible investigation, supported by medical and forensic evidence, can establish what happened.

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But the central question is larger than what killed the 37 detainees. What was the facility’s approved capacity? Were the suspects medically examined when admitted? Were symptoms detected? Was qualified medical care available? When did officers realise that multiple detainees were seriously ill? Were complaints made, and if so, were they properly recorded and acted upon? The distress calls of 37 or more dying people cannot go unnoticed or unheard. There are also questions of command responsibility. Who supervised the facility?

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The Federal Government’s decision to investigate the incident and suspend officers linked to it is necessary. The establishment of an independent 10-member committee with a two-week mandate is also welcome. But the inquiry must not become another bureaucratic exercise whose report eventually disappears into official archives.

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Investigators must have unrestricted access to detention registers, medical records, autopsy findings, CCTV footage where available, facility logs and testimony from officers and surviving detainees. Their findings should be published, subject to legitimate privacy and legal restrictions, and those found responsible should face appropriate sanctions. More importantly, this Minna tragedy should trigger a comprehensive audit of detention facilities operated by the Police, NSCDC, Department of State Services (DSS), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other detention authorities.

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The Government must establish their capacities, populations, detention periods, medical arrangements and emergency-response capabilities. Independent monitoring is equally urgent. While agencies empowered to arrest and detain citizens should effectively police themselves, regular inspections by credible external bodies must become routine. Nigeria must continue fighting illegal mining and other crimes. But law enforcement derives its legitimacy from obeying the law. A detainee’s human rights must be respected.

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The families of the 37 victims deserve the truth, justice and accountability. We call for full financial compensation to cushion their grief. Every Nigerian deserves the assurance of full protection under state custody.

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