An independent investigation panel has indicted the Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), C.C. Zuberu Ali Ziyaka, over the deaths of 33 detainees, including 14 minors, at its facility in Minna.
Five other officers including CIC Sunday Oluwadare, SC Usman Ngamaka, ASC I. Hassan Mohammed, DSC Abubakar Daban and DSC Musa Marafa, were also indicted by the panel.
The panel recommended their dismissal and prosecution and N1.4 billion compensation for families of the deceased and survivors.
Chairman of the panel, Jonathan Kure, a retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), disclosed this while presenting the report to the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja.
He said the deaths, which occurred between September 15 and 17, 2026, were entirely preventable, attributing them primarily to environmental asphyxia and acute respiratory failure resulting from overcrowding, poor ventilation, excessive heat and dehydration.
He also said the panel examined medical and forensic evidence, detention registers, communication records, hospital records and burial documents. It also interviewed NSCDC personnel, survivors, bereaved families and other witnesses.
The incident was sequel to the enforcement operations against suspected illegal mining activities around the M.I. Wushishi axis on September 15 and 16, without an approved operational order, adequate planning or consultation with relevant mining authorities.
Investigations later established that the mining sites were licensed to Ozan Consult and Services Limited and Presphere Resources Limited.
The operations led to the arrest of men, women and children, with 75 people detained by the evening of September 16. One person was later released, leaving 74 in custody overnight.
The panel found that approximately 50 male detainees were held in a cell measuring about 20 square metres, with inadequate ventilation, no running water, poor lighting and no functioning toilet. Food and drinking water were also insufficient.
It further established that adults and minors were detained together, while some individuals, including Emmanuel Emeka, were unlawfully held beyond permissible periods. Emeka was reportedly detained over a civil debt dispute.
Kure said the conditions violated constitutional safeguards, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, the Child Rights Act and recognised international detention standards.
The panel further found that detainees began displaying signs of distress shortly after 7 p.m. on September 16, repeatedly banging on cell doors, shouting for help and pleading for water throughout the night.
The officers allegedly failed to open the cell despite the distress signals, reduce overcrowding or provide emergency medical assistance. Medical personnel had also raised concerns about poor ventilation and the risk of suffocation.
The investigation established that postmortem examinations were conducted on three bodies, while the remaining 30 had been buried before investigators arrived.
The committee found no evidence that an infectious disease outbreak, physical assault or custodial violence directly caused the deaths. It also found no evidence supporting allegations that an aerosol substance had been sprayed into the cell.
The report indicted the State Commandant over the authorisation of the operation without adequate planning and oversight, the overcrowding of detainees and a public statement attributing the deaths to a disease outbreak.
The five other officers were accused of various failures relating to unlawful detention, ignored distress calls, inadequate supervision and the alleged destruction or alteration of evidence.
The committee recommended summary dismissal and prosecution of officers found culpable for offences including murder, criminal negligence, torture and inhuman treatment, where applicable.
It also called for anti-corruption investigations into allegations of extortion and mismanagement of exhibits.
To provide relief to those affected, the committee recommended N30 million for each of the 33 families of deceased detainees and N10 million for each of the 41 survivors, bringing the proposed compensation to N1.4 billion.
Additional recommendations include educational support for dependants of the deceased, medical rehabilitation for survivors, psychological assistance for affected families and a formal government apology.
The panel also proposed the construction of standard detention facilities across NSCDC commands, the installation of closed-circuit television cameras in custodial areas, independent oversight of detention facilities and improved human rights training and emergency medical response.
It further recommended comprehensive restructuring of the Corps’ leadership, recruitment, promotion, disciplinary procedures, deployment, intelligence gathering and supervisory systems.
Minister Tunji-Ojo assured that the report would be forwarded to the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice for further judicial action where necessary.
He said officers suspected of concealing or destroying evidence should be immediately suspended pending investigations and disciplinary proceedings.
“Nothing will be swept under the carpet,” the minister declared, pledging to work with the NSCDC to implement the recommended reforms and prevent a recurrence.
He described the incident as a serious failure of leadership and reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to accountability and the protection of vulnerable Nigerians.
Tunji-Ojo also commended Kure, the committee’s secretary, Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma, and other members for completing the investigation five weeks after the panel was inaugurated.