The deaths of 37 people arrested over suspected illegal mining in Niger State have triggered an investigation into what happened inside their place of detention.
The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) initially raised the possibility of a diphtheria outbreak. But an intelligence report pointed to overcrowding and inadequate ventilation as potential factors, with about 65 people reportedly held in the cell.
- Advertisement -
Authorities have ordered post-mortem examinations, while relatives have challenged the official explanation and demanded an independent inquiry. An NSCDC commander has been detained, and the state government has declared three days of mourning.
