Some of the suspects who died in the custody of NSCDC Photo: Facebook
By Abdullahi Abubakar
A new twist has been revealed regarding the death of 37 suspected illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State as a survivor has stated that detainees were packed into an overcrowded cell before an unidentified substance was sprayed inside, causing some people to collapse.
The survivor made this known while narrating his experience to Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, and the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, during their visit to survivors receiving treatment at a hospital in the state on Friday.
The account comes amid an ongoing investigation into the deaths of the detainees, whose remains were deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination to establish the cause of death. The NSCDC has said the cause has not yet been established.
According to the survivor, who spoke in Hausa during the interaction, the detainees were initially about 17 in the room before more people were brought in.
He said the number eventually rose to almost 48, despite complaints that the room was too small to accommodate them.
He said: “The room was very small. When we got there, we were up to 17 in the room.
“Then more people came in.
“More people kept coming in, almost 48, and we told them that the room was too small, that it was too small. You know, even if more people came in, there wouldn’t be enough space for the rest of us.
“Then they told us that everyone should move quickly and stand up. We discussed it, and by then the room had become overcrowded and very hot.
“They locked the door and sprayed some kind of perfume or fragrance.
“That perfume had a very strong smell, and after a while, some people suddenly started falling down.”
Responding to the account, Governor Bago asked the survivor what exactly happened inside the room and what caused the deaths.
The survivor said the conditions became increasingly unbearable as the cell became overcrowded.
He said the detainees repeatedly complained about the heat and pleaded for water.
“It was very hot. We were saying that we needed water, that we were human beings,” he said.
The survivor further said he could not remember what happened afterwards until the following morning.
“At that night, I don’t know what happened again until this morning,” he said.
He also said he could not identify the substance that was sprayed inside the room, but described it as something that appeared to be perfume and had a strong, irritating smell.
“I don’t know what they sprayed, but I know it looked like a perfume. And it smelled hurt,” he said.
“When they sprayed it, it peppered our eyes.”
