Officer Apologises To Families, Niger Govt Over Deaths In Custody
58 Suspects Crammed Into Facility Designed For 28–30 Inmates
Panel Probes Alleged Detention Lapses As Pathologist Awaits Approval For Post-Mortem Examinations
Daud Olatunji
An officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Usman Isah Ndamaka, has told a judicial commission of inquiry that fear of being overpowered by detainees prevented him from opening an overcrowded cell, despite hearing their cries before 37 suspected miners died in custody.
Ndamaka, an Assistant Superintendent of Corps in charge of the NSCDC detention facility in Niger State, admitted that the incident happened under his watch, expressing regret and apologising to the bereaved families and the state government.
His testimony has raised fresh questions about the handling of the detainees, the conditions under which they were held and the response of security personnel to their distress before the deaths.
“An error is already committed. I’m very sorry, sir, for the death of the miners under my custody. Unfortunately, this happened under my watch,” he told the commission.
“I’m pained, and it is very unfortunate it happened. I’m very sorry. I admitted my mistake,” the officer added.
The commission is investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the 37 suspected miners on September 17, 2026, including the roles played by personnel involved in their arrest, investigation and detention.
Explaining the circumstances that preceded the tragedy, Ndamaka said 58 suspects, comprising 33 males and 25 females, were brought to the command, despite the detention facility having the capacity to accommodate only between 28 and 30 people.
The number of detainees was therefore nearly twice the facility’s stated capacity, raising concerns about overcrowding and the adequacy of arrangements made to accommodate them.
According to the officer, the suspects arrived late in the evening amid a heavy downpour, further complicating efforts to find suitable accommodation for them.
He said authorities attempted to separate the female detainees from the males by moving the women to another facility, but the accommodation challenges persisted.
Ndamaka also disclosed that efforts to transfer some of the detainees to the old command facility failed after the Mining Marshals rejected them.
The officer said he feared that opening the overcrowded cell could expose him and the available personnel to the risk of being overpowered by the detainees.
His account has brought the treatment of the suspects and the security personnel’s response to their cries into sharp focus as the panel seeks to establish what happened before the deaths.
The inquiry is expected to determine whether inadequate detention facilities, failures in supervision or other lapses contributed to the tragedy and whether any individual or institution should be held accountable.
Meanwhile, the Head of the NSCDC Investigation Unit, Chief Superintendent of Corps Sunday Oluwadere, also appeared before the commission.
Oluwadere told the panel that he profiled and investigated the arrested miners and handled exhibits seized during the investigation.
He also expressed regret over shortcomings in the way he handled the matter.
The commission is examining evidence from officers involved in the arrests, investigation and detention of the suspects to reconstruct the events leading to their deaths.
Despite the admissions and testimonies before the panel, the cause of the deaths has yet to be conclusively established from the evidence reported during the proceedings.
The Chief Consultant Pathologist at the General Hospital, Minna, Dr Alfa Sule, had earlier told the commission that post-mortem examinations were necessary to determine the cause of death.
Sule explained that the examinations required the approval of a coroner, while the collection of samples from the deceased for toxicology and histology analyses required the consent of their families.
According to him, the samples would be sent to a forensic laboratory in Lagos for further examination, with the results expected after the analyses.
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