Families Accuse Nigerian Officials of Mistreatment After 37 Detainees Die

Families of 37 individuals who died in the custody of a Nigerian security agency are accusing officials of mistreatment and brutality. The deceased were among 67 people suspected of illegal mining who were held in a single cell by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in Niger state.

Governor Umar Bago of Niger state stated Friday that the suspects were arrested between Tuesday and Wednesday, and that 37 likely died from suffocation in the overcrowded cell. The NSCDC initially attributed the deaths to a possible disease outbreak, and an investigation is currently underway. The Nigerian government has since named a 10-member committee to look into the incident and suspended 20 NSCDC personnel, including the head of the agency in Niger state, who was suspended on Friday.

Lawan Mohammed, father of Sulieman Mohammed, 25, described his son as a motorcycle mechanic. He said he went to deliver food to his son the morning after his arrest and was told he had died. "I had a lot of expectations for my son, but now (they have) been shattered completely. I am really hurt," Lawan Mohammed said. "They chose to beat him up, burst his head open. His teeth were even falling out. I want the government to make sure that justice prevails."

Saba Usman alleged that his son, Usman Whalid, who was a student and did menial work, was mistreated before his death. "When I saw him, he was really in a bad shape because he was beaten and was (stepped) on with boots, so I knew they really mistreated him while he was in their custody," he stated, adding that he has videos and pictures showing his son's injuries. Usman also claimed his son and the others were innocent and "framed."

Mubarak Dahiru, a survivor of the incident, recounted that detainees pleaded for water and food but were ignored. "They beat us as if we were thieves. They also used their guns and hit us with them," Dahiru said.

These allegations raise serious concerns about detention standards and accountability in Nigeria. The Nigerian Bar Association president, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, called the deaths an "event of the utmost gravity" requiring a "thorough, independent, transparent and credible investigation."

Illegal mining continues to be a significant challenge in Nigeria, particularly in the north-central and northwest regions. Analysts have linked these activities to armed gangs involved in kidnappings for ransom, suggesting the illicit trade provides funding for these groups.