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No Officer Found Culpable Will Be Shielded – FG Vows Justice For 33 Detainees In NSCDC Custody As Panel Submits Report
No Officer Found Culpable Will Be Shielded – FG Vows Justice For 33 Detainees In NSCDC Custody As Panel Submits Report
Independent investigative panel confirms 33 deaths, including 14 minors, and identifies 41 survivors.
Report attributes deaths to overcrowding, poor ventilation, extreme heat, dehydration and failure to respond to distress calls.
Panel recommends dismissal and prosecution of culpable officers, ₦1.4bn compensation for victims’ families and support for survivors.
FG to forward report to Attorney-General, review recommendations and implement reforms to prevent a recurrence.
October 27, () – The Federal Government has vowed to ensure justice for the families of 33 detainees who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State, declaring that no officer found culpable in the incident would be shielded, regardless of rank or position.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, gave the assurance on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving the report of an independent investigative committee established to investigate the deaths.
A statement signed by the Ministry Head of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Mary Ali, said the committee confirmed that 33 detainees, including 14 minors, died, while 41 others survived. It attributed the deaths to severe overcrowding, poor ventilation, extreme heat and dehydration, as well as the failure of officers to respond to repeated distress calls from detainees.
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The report also identified unlawful detention practices, poor supervision and serious lapses in the handling of the incident.
Tunji-Ojo described the deaths as tragic and deeply regrettable, assuring the victims’ families that the Federal Government would pursue accountability and ensure that those found responsible faced appropriate consequences.
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“No officer found culpable will be shielded, regardless of rank or position”, the minister said.
He further called for the immediate suspension of officers alleged to have concealed or attempted to destroy evidence, pending further investigation.
“Those officers who concealed or attempted to destroy evidence must be suspended immediately, pending further investigation. You cannot destroy evidence”, he said.
The report was submitted by the committee, chaired by Mr Jonathan Kure, a retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), at the Ministry of Interior in Abuja.
Tunji-Ojo said the report would be forwarded to the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice for further judicial action, while the Ministry of Interior would review the findings and implement appropriate recommendations.
The committee recommended the dismissal and prosecution, where appropriate, of officers found responsible for the deaths.
It also recommended ₦1.4 billion in compensation for the families of the deceased, educational support for their dependants, and medical and psychological assistance for survivors and affected families. The panel further proposed a formal government apology to the victims’ families.
The minister said the Federal Government would study the recommendations before announcing its decisions. He also pledged far-reaching reforms within the NSCDC, including improved detention facilities, stronger oversight mechanisms, enhanced personnel training and stricter accountability measures to prevent a recurrence.
Tunji-Ojo said the administration of President Bola Tinubu was committed to accountability and the protection of every Nigerian life.
“Mr President has always said that every life is important, and no Nigerian life is more important than another. This is a President who has built his reputation on accountability. Renewed Hope is about accountability. Justice must not only be done, but must be seen to have been done. That is what this government stands for”, he said.
The minister thanked Tinubu for his leadership and commitment to justice and commended members of the investigative committee for their work.
He also assured the families of the deceased that the government would not abandon them.
The investigation was established to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths of detainees held in NSCDC custody in Niger State and recommend measures to address any identified failures.
The detainees died on September 17, 2026, while being held at the NSCDC Niger State Command in Minna. They were among those arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining activities in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of the state.
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