A Federal Government investigative panel has found that 37 suspected illegal miners, many of them teenagers, died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) as a result of severe overcrowding, poor ventilation and neglect.
The findings have raised serious questions about the treatment of suspects in detention facilities and the responsibility of law-enforcement agencies to safeguard the lives of persons in their custody.
According to an investigation reported by Reuters, the deaths resulted from asphyxia caused by overcrowding, compounded by heat stress, dehydration and inadequate attention to the detainees’ complaints.
The panel reportedly relied on detention records, autopsy findings, hospital reports and communications in reaching its conclusions. It also rejected an earlier explanation that a disease outbreak was responsible for the deaths.
The committee described the deaths as preventable and recommended compensation of ₦30 million for each victim’s family and ₦10 million for each of 41 survivors. It further recommended a comprehensive overhaul of the NSCDC leadership.
The development brings renewed attention to constitutional safeguards, the right to life, humane treatment in detention and the legal responsibilities of security agencies.
Under Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution, every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of the human person. The findings also raise questions about accountability where persons die while in state custody.
The matter is particularly significant because detention does not extinguish a person’s fundamental rights or remove the state’s obligation to protect human life.
Source: Reuters.
Related report: Federal Panel Says 37 Suspected Miners Died From Overcrowding in NSCDC Custody.
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