By Lizzy Chirkpi
The Federal Government’s Independent Investigative Committee probing the deaths of detainees in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State has recommended ₦1.4bn in compensation for victims’ families and survivors.
The committee blamed inadequate detention conditions and the failure of responsible officers to respond to signs of distress for the deaths.
Its chairman and former Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Jonathan Kure, disclosed this on Tuesday while presenting the panel’s report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja.
Kure said the investigation established that the deceased died from asphyxiation, adding that the conditions in which they were detained fell below constitutional and legal standards.
“The detention conditions were found to be grossly inadequate and inconsistent with constitutional safeguards, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, the Child Rights Act, and accepted international standards,” he said.
According to the committee, officers responsible for the detainees’ welfare failed to take necessary action despite signs that conditions inside the cell had become life-threatening.
Kure said witnesses told the panel that detainees repeatedly banged on cell doors and walls, shouted for help and pleaded for water as conditions deteriorated overnight.
“Despite clear evidence that conditions inside the cell had become life-threatening, officers responsible for detainee welfare failed to open the cell, to decongest the facility, or arrange emergency intervention,” he said.
The committee recommended ₦1.4bn in compensation for the families of 33 deceased detainees and 44 survivors affected by the incident.
It also called for educational support for the dependants of the deceased, medical rehabilitation for survivors and psychological support for affected families.
In addition, the panel recommended a formal apology from the Federal Government to the families of the deceased and other victims.
“The committee concludes that the death of 33 detainees, including 14 minors, was entirely preventable,” Kure said.
The findings raise concerns about the treatment of detainees, compliance with custodial safeguards and the responsibility of security personnel to protect people held in government detention facilities.
The report has been submitted to the Ministry of Interior for consideration. The committee’s recommendations place compensation for victims, accountability for the deaths and improvements to detention conditions at the centre of the expected government response.
The implementation of the recommendations would determine the extent of redress available to the affected families and survivors, as well as the measures adopted to prevent a recurrence.