A surviving suspected illegal miner detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State has alleged that a substance resembling perfume was sprayed inside an overcrowded cell shortly before several detainees collapsed and died.
The survivor, who spoke in Hausa during a televised address on Friday, narrated his experience to Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, and the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
According to the survivor, 17 detainees were initially locked inside the cell before additional suspects were brought in, despite complaints that the room was too small and hot.
He said the situation became increasingly difficult as more people were forced into the cell, leaving the detainees struggling with the heat and lack of ventilation.
“We were 17 in number. Then they added more people. And we started complaining that the room was small. The room was very hot,” he said.
The survivor alleged that the detainees were later instructed to stand as officers prepared to lock the room.
He claimed that, at that point, a substance that looked like perfume was sprayed inside the cell.
“As they were about to lock the room, they sprayed something that looked like perfume, and the smell started disturbing everyone in the room, and that’s how people started falling down,” he said.
He further alleged that the heat inside the cell became unbearable after the substance was sprayed, prompting the detainees to plead with officers to provide them with water.
According to him, their request was rejected, with the officers allegedly telling them that nobody would open the cell door that night.
“The room became extremely hot. We pleaded with them to give us water, but they said no one would open the door for us that same night,” he said.
The account comes amid investigations into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who were detained by the NSCDC in Niger State.
Governor Bago said on Friday that 67 artisanal and suspected illegal miners had been detained in the NSCDC facility before 37 of them died.
The miners were reportedly arrested during NSCDC operations in M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto on September 15 and 16.
The NSCDC had initially said the detainees were found dead in the early hours of September 17 following what it described as a suspected disease outbreak.
The Corps later stated that medical examinations would be necessary to determine the actual cause of the deaths.
Governor Bago said possible causes under investigation included suffocation resulting from overcrowding and exposure to hazardous substances associated with illegal mining.
He added that autopsies and forensic examinations were being conducted to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The Federal Government has ordered a full investigation into the incident, while the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, has been suspended pending the outcome of the probe.
The survivor’s allegation has not been independently established, and the ongoing forensic investigations are expected to provide further information on what caused the deaths.
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