“50 people in 20㎡”… Overcrowding is the cause of mass deaths of Nigerian miners in prison

Regarding the incident in Nigeria where about 30 miners arrested on suspicion of illegal mining died en masse while incarcerated last month, an investigation found that the cause was overcrowding that crammed dozens of people into a small space.

According to the British BBC and the Associated Press on the 28th (local time), the Home Office Investigation Committee that investigated the incident announced the previous day that the cause of death was severe overcrowding, poor ventilation, and the absence of personnel responding to rescue requests.

Jonathan Kure, chairman of the investigation committee, said that at the time of the accident, 50 male prisoners were housed in a cell measuring approximately 20 square meters.

The death toll at the time of the accident last month was announced as 37, but the committee confirmed that the number of deaths was 33. Of these, 14 were identified as minors.

It was found that their detention rooms had no running water or usable toilets, and were not properly ventilated.

It was revealed that the deaths of the prisoners occurred over an 11-hour period from 8 p.m. on the 16th of last month to 7 a.m. the next day.

The explanation is that acute respiratory failure occurred while being detained in a small space for a long time, and the condition worsened due to heat stress and dehydration.

Chairman Kure said, “Detainees repeatedly knocked on the doors and walls of their cells and begged for water, asking for help, but the agents on duty took no action even after hearing their requests.”

Chairman Kure said that such detention conditions constitute cruel and inhumane treatment that undermines human dignity.

Authorities initially raised the possibility of infection with diseases such as diphtheria, but no evidence was found to support this.

Previously, in Niger State, central Nigeria, on the 15th and 16th of last month, the National Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) arrested dozens of people on charges of illegal gold mining and imprisoned them in a detention facility in Minna. 33 of them were found dead on the 17th.

The NSCDC is a paramilitary force that protects critical infrastructure and assists police in combating crime. At the time, the NSCDC was strengthening its crackdown on illegal mining.

However, as a result of the investigation, it was determined that the mine where the imprisoned people worked was officially licensed. It was revealed that the NSCDC crackdown was carried out without an approved operational order or proper planning.

The committee recommended that the involved agents be immediately dismissed and indicted on charges including murder, torture, and inhumane treatment. It was also recommended that compensation of 30 million naira (about 30 million won) each be paid to the families of the deceased and 10 million naira each to the survivors.

Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunziojo said the investigation report would be handed over to the prosecution and that those found responsible for the deaths would be severely punished in accordance with the law.

The poor conditions, including overcrowding, of detention facilities in Nigeria have previously been criticized by international organizations and human rights groups.

Previously, the UN Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture visited Nigeria in 2024 and called for urgent improvement of detention conditions, saying, “The conditions in most detention facilities are very poor.”