The Independent Investigative Committee set up by the Federal Government to look into the circumstances surrounding the death of some alleged illegal miners while in custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp has submitted its report.
The incident had sparked public angst against what many Nigerians viewed as recklessness and insensitivity on the part of the Corp.
Submitting the report to the Minister of Interior Hon. Dr. Tunji-Ojo in Abuja on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Committee, Jonathan Yisa, a former deputy director general of the Department of State Services, presented a detailed report of their findings as well as their recommendations.
According to the report the deaths occurred due to environmental asphyxia which led to respiratory failure due to overcrowding and poor ventilation. The statement added that about 50 people were crowded into a 20 square feet space.
Having laid the blame for the deaths squarely on the Corp’s poor handling of the detainees , the Committee went onto identify the respective roles of the culpable Officers while recommending their sack and prosecution, where applicable.
According to the Chairman, “the Committee found extensive failures of leadership, supervision and professional conduct:
“The State Commandant Suberu Aniviyie Isiaka, authorised and supervised the operation without proper planning, approval or oversight. He permitted overcrowding, failed to ensure lawful detention practices and later issued a false public statement attributing the deaths to a disease outbreak. The Committee concluded that his actions reflected gross leadership failure, abuse of authority and serious professional misconduct;
“CSC Sunday Oluwadare Head of the Investigation Unit, facilitated unlawful detention practices, ignored legal and medical concerns and failed to act despite direct awareness of the deteriorating detention conditions;
“SC Usman maintained overcrowded conditions, instructed subordinates not to open the cell, failed to respond appropriately to emergency alerts and later participated in the cleaning and alteration of the detention area before independent examination;
“ASCI Hassan Mohammed failed to open the cell despite repeated distress signals and did not adequately escalate the emergency;
“DSC Abubakar Dabam profiled the suspects into detention, including minors, and failed to protect the detainees’ rights. He also failed to properly document evidence;
“DSC Musa Marafa unlawfully arrested and detained Emmanuel Emeka in relation to a civil debt dispute, contributing directly to his continued unlawful detention until his death, along with the arrested minors.
“Beyond individual misconduct, the Committee identified major institutional weaknesses and lapses within the NSCDC. These included inadequate detention infrastructure, lack of effective custodial oversight, absence of CCTV monitoring systems, weak documentation practices, poor emergency medical capability, ineffective supervision, weak intelligence reporting arrangements, workforce imbalance and chronic underfunding. The Committee concluded that these deficiencies created an environment in which serious violations could occur and continue without timely detection or intervention.
“The investigation faced several limitations. The detention register for 16 September 2026 was unavailable. 30 of the 33 deceased persons were buried before post-mortem examination could be conducted. The detention area was cleaned, disinfected and altered before independent investigators arrived, affecting aspects of the forensic assessment. Certain survivor allegations relating to aerosol exposure could not be independently verified. Despite these limitations, the Committee concluded that sufficient evidence existed to establish the essential facts, causes and responsibilities associated with the incident.
“To ensure accountability, the Committee recommends: summary dismissal of the officers found principally responsible; prosecution for offences including murder, criminal negligence, torture and inhuman treatment, where applicable; and an investigation by anti-corruption agencies into allegations of extortion and exhibit mismanagement.
” Administrative sanctions are also recommended for officers whose failures contributed to the incident but did not amount to primary culpability.
“The Committee recommends institutional reforms of the NSCDC to make it more operationally effective. The reforms should cover recruitment, appointment, promotion, discipline, deployment, training and retraining, supervision and inspection, intelligence gathering and reporting lines. The Committee recommends a total overhaul and restructuring of the leadership of the NSCDC in order to carry out the desired reforms.
“The Committee further recommends a restitutive package. This includes compensation of ₦30 million to each of the 33 bereaved families and ₦10 million to each of the 41 survivors, a total compensation package of ₦1.4 billion. Additional measures include educational support for dependants of the deceased victims, medical rehabilitation for survivors, psychological support for affected families and a formal apology by the Federal Government.
“To prevent a recurrence, the Committee recommends: the construction of standard detention facilities across all NSCDC commands; installation of CCTV systems in custodial areas; establishment of an independent inspectorate and custodial oversight mechanism; enhanced custody management and human rights training; strengthened emergency medical response capabilities; improved intelligence and reporting systems; increased operational funding; and comprehensive restructuring of leadership, governance and accountability arrangements.
“The Committee concludes that the deaths of 33 detainees, including 14 minors, were entirely preventable.