A survivor of the incident that left 37 suspected illegal gold miners dead in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State has recounted the conditions inside the detention cell.
The survivor said 17 detainees were initially locked in a small room before more people were brought in, despite complaints about overcrowding and extreme heat.
He said the situation worsened when the detainees were asked to stand as officers prepared to lock the cell.
According to him, an unidentified substance that smelled like perfume was then sprayed inside the room.
“As they were about to lock the room, they sprayed something that looked like perfume, and the smell started disturbing everyone in the room,” he said.
He added that the heat became unbearable and some detainees began collapsing, while pleas for water were allegedly ignored.
Another survivor said he escaped because he was close to the cell entrance, where he could breathe better. He also said detainees screamed for help as people began collapsing.
The accounts come amid investigations into the deaths of 37 detainees arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining in Niger State.
The cause of the deaths has not been conclusively established. The federal government has ordered an investigation, while senior NSCDC officials in the state have been suspended pending the probe.
