Femi Falana Demands Accountability for Niger Detainee Deaths

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, has called for the immediate prosecution of individuals responsible for the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State. Falana urged Niger State Attorney-General Nasiru Mu’azu to ensure a prompt police investigation into the incident, which occurred on September 17.

The Niger State Government has ordered autopsies and medical examinations to determine the cause of death. The Federal Government has suspended NSCDC officers linked to the incident and established a 10-member independent committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the detainees' deaths.

Reports indicate that a survivor alleged that 65 detainees were kept in a small cell, and a substance was sprayed inside before the room was locked. Falana emphasized the need for criminal accountability if the investigation reveals unlawful conduct or negligence, and he called for a review of detention conditions nationwide.