Fresh details have emerged on the death of 37 miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in Niger State, as an officer admitted that he heard the detainees screaming before they died.
Assistant Superintendent of Corps, ASC Usman Isah Ndamaka, who was in charge of the detention facility at the NSCDC Niger State Command, made the admission before the judicial commission of inquiry set up by the Niger State Government.
The panel is headed by Justice Mohammed Mohammed.
Ndamaka, who broke down in tears during his testimony, expressed regret over the incident and apologised to the families of the victims and residents of the state.
“I am very sorry for the deaths of the miners in my custody. It is unfortunate that this happened under my watch. I am pained, and it is very unfortunate that this happened. I am very sorry. I admit my mistake,” Ndamaka told the commission.
He explained that he did not open the cell because he was afraid the detainees would overpower him, citing shortage of personnel at the facility that evening.
“The fear of being overpowered by the detainees prevented me from opening the cell door, despite hearing them screaming and shouting because of overcrowding and the heat inside,” he said.
The officer said the miners were brought to the facility late in the evening during a heavy downpour, and accommodating them became difficult because male and female suspects had to be separated.
According to him, attempts to transfer some of the detainees to the old NSCDC command headquarters to decongest the cell were rejected by the Mining Marshal.
He said overcrowding and unbearable heat in the cell contributed to the tragedy, raising further questions about detention conditions and whether timely intervention could have prevented the deaths.
The inquiry is expected to establish what happened inside the facility, determine actions taken by officers on duty and identify lapses that may have contributed to the tragedy.
The incident has also drawn Federal Government attention, with President Bola Tinubu directing a comprehensive investigation and the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordering the suspension of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant and 20 other officers pending the outcome of the probe.
A separate 10-member federal committee was also constituted to investigate possible negligence or misconduct, following the death of the 37 detainees arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining in M.I Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Minna.