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New details have emerged into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State, with the officer in charge of the detention facility admitting that he heard the desperate screams of detainees complaining of overcrowding and excessive heat, but did not open the cell.
Deputy Superintendent of the Corps (ASC), Usman Isah Ndamaka, made the disclosure while testifying before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry led by Justice Mohammed Mohammed probing the September 17, 2026 deaths in Minna.
Ndamaka told the commission that inadequate staffing and concerns that inmates might overwhelm officers prevented him from opening the cell despite hearing their screams.
“Inadequate staffing and the fear of being overwhelmed by inmates prevented me from opening their cell despite hearing them screaming and screaming amid the overcrowding and excessive heat,” he said.
His testimony put the conditions in which the suspects were held, as well as the response of NSCDC personnel to their suffering, at the center of the investigation into one of the most serious custody incidents involving the Corps in Niger State.
Ndamaka told the commission that 58 suspects, including 33 males and 25 females, were brought to the command even though the detention facility could only accommodate between 28 and 30 inmates.
Appearing emotional before the jury, the officer broke down in tears and apologized for the deaths, acknowledging that mistakes had been made while inmates were under his watch.
“A mistake has already been made. I am very sorry for the death of the miners in my custody. It is unfortunate that this happened on my watch. I am saddened and I admit my mistake,” he told the commission.
He also apologized to the bereaved families and the Niger State Government over the incident.
The group is specifically examining whether overcrowding, inadequate staffing, the handling of inmate distress calls or other operational errors contributed to the deaths.
Also appearing before the commission, the head of the investigation unit of the NSCDC, Corps Chief Superintendent Sunday Oluwadere, said he was responsible for profiling and investigating the arrested suspects, as well as managing the exhibits recovered during the operation.
Oluwadere expressed regret over the shortcomings in the handling of the matter as the commission continued to question personnel involved in the arrests, investigations and detentions.
The inquiry is examining evidence from officers at different stages of the operation to establish the chain of events that led to the death and determine whether negligence, misconduct or institutional failures played a role.
Previous testimony before the commission had shown that further forensic tests would be needed before the precise cause of death could be established.
Minna General Hospital chief pathologist Dr Alfa Sule told the commission that post-mortem examinations were necessary to determine the cause of death and would require approval from a medical examiner.
He said collecting samples from the deceased for toxicology and histology tests would also require consent from their families.
According to the pathologist, the collected samples would be forwarded to a forensic laboratory in Lagos for analysis, with the results expected to provide medical evidence that could help determine what caused the death.
The distinction is crucial to the inquiry because, although evidence before the commission has raised questions about overcrowding, heat and a failure to immediately respond to prisoners’ cries, the commission has yet to receive conclusive forensic evidence linking any of these conditions directly to the 37 deaths.
The Judicial Commission of Inquiry was constituted following the death of 37 suspected illegal miners while in custody at the NSCDC in Minna on September 17, 2026.
The extent of the deaths raised questions about the circumstances of the suspects’ arrest, the conditions in which they were detained, and the actions taken by officers responsible for their welfare while in detention.
The commission has since taken testimony from NSCDC staff and other relevant witnesses in an effort to reconstruct the events before the deaths and determine whether established procedures for the detention and protection of suspects had been followed.
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