Human rights advocate Kanayo Olisa-Metuh has called for a transparent investigation, accountability and appropriate reparations following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State.

Olisa-Metuh, Executive Director of Legend Golden Care Foundation, said justice for the victims should extend beyond identifying and prosecuting anyone found responsible to addressing the consequences for survivors and families affected by the incident.

The 37 detainees died while in NSCDC custody in Minna after being arrested during operations targeting suspected illegal mining activities on September 15 and 16.

Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago subsequently confirmed the deaths, describing the incident as “sad” and “tragic”, and declared three days of mourning.

Authorities have launched investigations to establish what happened.

The NSCDC initially said the detainees were found dead following a suspected disease outbreak, but its national headquarters later cautioned against reaching conclusions about the cause before medical and investigative processes were completed.

Survivors have separately made allegations concerning overcrowding and conditions inside the detention facility.

The actual cause of the deaths has not yet been conclusively established.

The incident has prompted investigations by multiple authorities, while the NSCDC has detained 24 personnel, including the suspended Niger State commandant, in connection with the ongoing inquiry.

Against that background, Olisa-Metuh said the investigation must be transparent and credible, with responsibility established based on evidence.

She said the incident also raised broader questions about how people in detention are treated and protected.

“But justice cannot end with investigation and prosecution,” Olisa-Metuh said.

“For people who are arrested and detained, the state assumes a profound responsibility for their safety and wellbeing. Allegations of torture, ill-treatment, overcrowding and other violations in places of detention cannot become normalised or overlooked simply because people affected are accused of an offence.”

Olisa-Metuh said the fact that the deceased had been arrested on suspicion of illegal mining did not diminish the responsibility of authorities to protect their rights while in custody.

She expressed concern that allegations of abuse and poor conditions in detention facilities often receive greater public attention only after deaths or other serious incidents occur.

“We must do better. The victims and survivors deserve justice, and justice must include rehabilitation, reparation and reintegration alongside accountability,” she said.

“It must extend beyond the survivor to the families who bear the emotional, psychological and economic consequences of what happened. And for those who have died, their families deserve accountability and appropriate reparation.”

The circumstances surrounding the deaths have generated public anger and demands from civil society organisations, lawyers and relatives for an independent investigation.

President Bola Tinubu has ordered a full investigation into the incident, while the Niger State Government has constituted a committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The NSCDC has also said personnel found culpable would face disciplinary measures and possible prosecution.

Olisa-Metuh said accountability should not end with determining the immediate circumstances in which the detainees died.

She argued that authorities should also consider the longer-term consequences for survivors and relatives of the deceased.

Rehabilitation could involve appropriate medical and psychological support for survivors, while reparation could address harms suffered by victims and their families where wrongdoing is established.

Reintegration, she said, should form part of the response for surviving detainees where appropriate, particularly where detention or alleged mistreatment has created additional social and economic difficulties.

Her intervention comes amid competing accounts surrounding the incident.

While the initial NSCDC statement referred to a suspected disease outbreak, survivors and relatives have raised allegations of overcrowding, poor ventilation and mistreatment.

Those claims remain subject to investigation.

Olisa-Metuh said the conflicting accounts reinforced the need for an inquiry that can establish the facts independently and transparently.

She also urged authorities to maintain attention on the case after immediate public interest subsides.

“We are watching. We are waiting. We will continue to demand justice, not only for those who died, but for every person whose dignity is placed at risk in custody,” she said.

The deaths have placed renewed attention on conditions in detention facilities and the obligations of security agencies towards people in their custody.

Although the deceased had been arrested on suspicion of illegal mining, no finding of guilt had been made against them before their deaths.

Investigations are expected to establish the cause of death, conditions in which the suspects were detained, the conduct of officers involved and whether any criminal or administrative responsibility arises from the incident.