Nigeria: Families demand justice for 37 men who died in custody

By AFP

Families of some of the people who died in a Nigerian paramilitary civil defence force holding cell, on Saturday demanded justice as government appointed an independent panel to probe the deaths.

Thirty-seven young men were found dead inside a crowded cell in Minna, the capital of central Niger state, on Thursday after their arrest on suspicion of illegal goldmining by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Survivors recounted being crammed in the cell with poor ventilation, and one said a substance that stung their throats and noses was sprayed into the cell before the door was slammed shut.

They said their calls for help were ignored.

The deaths triggered violent protests on the streets of Minna city, the capital of mineral-rich Niger state, and police fired shots to disperse the protesters.

Nigeria’s government has appointed a 10-member independent panel to investigate the deaths of 37 people in a paramilitary civil defence force holding cell, the interior ministry said Saturday.

Adamu Idris, 27, whose brother was among the dead told AFP he expects government “to give us justice”.

He warned: “If the government does not take decisive action, we will continue the protest.

“They should be ready to continue killing us, and it is better that we all die”.

Musa Aliyu, 52, who lost two sons in detention wants the disaster “thoroughly” investigated to “give justice to our children.”

Tensions were stoked at the news of the deaths and people poured out into the streets protesting and damaging government property.

Gunshots were heard in the city as police responded with fire to disperse the protesters, but it was not clear whether they fired anti-riot pellets or live ammunition.

But one man said he was shot while walking on the streets on his way from attending the funeral of one of the miners.

“I heard gunshots. I quickly ducked and next thing I was unconscious, I was shot. I fell into the gutter,” 24-year-old Allamin Adamu, said from his hospital bed.

President Bola Tinubu on Friday ordered an urgent, “full and transparent investigation” over Thursday’s deaths.

He said he would not tolerate deaths caused by “official negligence, abuse, dereliction of duty”.

The panel includes a retired senior state intelligence officer, a medical expert, a human rights activist and a miners’ association.

It has two weeks to finalise investigations and submit its report.

Twenty NSCDC officers and guards who were involved in the arrests and detention of the miners had been suspended, along with their boss.

Niger state, more than twice the size of Belgium, is rich in minerals and attracts thousands of artisanal miners — most of them lured by the hope of striking gold.