33 detainees, including 14 children, die in NSCDC cell in Nigeria — Premium Times Nigeria

In the city of Minna, Nigeria, 33 detainees died in custody in a cell at the command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) between September 16 and 17, 2026. A federal investigative commission found that 14 of those who died were minors, Premium Times reports.

Overcrowded cell

According to the commission, about 50 men and boys were held in a male cell measuring around 12 square metres, although investigators described ten people as an acceptable capacity. The room had a solid metal door, poor ventilation and lighting, no water supply and no functioning toilet. Food and drinking water were unavailable or critically insufficient.

The detentions took place after NSCDC raids on allegedly illegal mining sites near Minna on September 15 and 16. However, the commission confirmed that those sites were licensed. It also found that the operation was conducted without an approved operational order, proper planning or consultations with relevant agencies. On the evening of September 16, 74 people remained in custody.

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Warnings and medical findings

Nurse Mariam Etang Nelson warned guards on the evening of September 16 that overcrowding could lead to suffocation and advised them not to lock the metal door to improve ventilation. According to the commission, the warning was ignored. The detainees shouted, banged on the door and walls, and asked for water, but were not provided emergency assistance.

Autopsies were conducted on only three bodies because the other 30 deceased people had been buried before the medical team arrived. According to experts, the most likely cause of death was respiratory failure due to a lack of oxygen in the overcrowded cell; heat stress and dehydration may have been additional factors. The findings remain preliminary pending toxicology results.

Before an independent forensic examination, the cell was washed and disinfected, and additional ventilation openings were installed. Investigators also did not receive the detainee register for September 16. The commission concluded that the deaths could have been prevented.