By Stephen Simon
Avocats Sans Frontières France (ASF France) has called for an independent and impartial investigation into the deaths of 37 persons detained at a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) facility in Minna, Niger State.
The organisation, in a statement signed by its Country Director, Angela Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, said reports of severe overcrowding, inadequate ventilation and delayed access to emergency assistance raised serious questions about the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The 37 detainees were among persons arrested by the NSCDC during operations against suspected illegal mining activities in Niger State on September 15 and 16. They were subsequently found dead in custody, with authorities yet to conclusively establish the cause of death.
While the NSCDC initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, ASF France said the investigation should establish whether detention conditions and possible failures by officials contributed to the deaths.
The organisation said some of the deceased were reportedly aged between 14 and 18, while survivors allegedly described overcrowded cells in which detainees struggled to breathe and repeatedly called for assistance as people began collapsing.
ASF France welcomed the investigations already announced by the authorities, including the suspension of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, but said the probe must be sufficiently independent to examine possible individual, institutional and systemic failures.
It said investigators should examine detention conditions, overcrowding, ventilation, access to water and medical care, monitoring of detainees, emergency response and the conduct of officials within the chain of command.
The organisation also called for the preservation of custody and medical records, CCTV footage and relevant communications, as well as independent forensic examinations and autopsies. It urged authorities to protect surviving detainees and witnesses and keep families of the deceased informed.
ASF France cited the United Nations Nelson Mandela Rules and the Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Deaths, which provide international standards for investigating deaths in custody.
The organisation said the investigation should determine not only the immediate medical cause of the deaths but also whether failures by individuals or institutions contributed to the loss of life, stressing the need for accountability and measures to prevent a recurrence.
