The cause of the deaths of 33 miners who died in the custody of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has been revealed.
Recalled that the teenage miners died in the custody of the NSCDC command in Minna, Niger State, in August.
Their deaths sparked widespread outrage and protest across the country. At least two people were shot dead by security forces in the ensuing public demonstrations and unrest that followed the unfortunate incident.
However, an independent ministerial committee set up to probe the tragic incident disclosed that the deaths were as a result of “overcrowding, unsuitable detention conditions, failure of duty of care, inadequate supervision”.
The chairman of the committee, Jonathan Kure, made the disclosure while presenting the report of the investigation to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Tuesday.
According to the committee, the miners were exposed to extreme heat and dehydration due to overcrowding, which made it difficult for them to breathe and survive.
The committee further said that the operation which led to the arrest of the suspects was carried out without an operational order or approval from the national headquarters of the NSCDC.
