New facts have emerged from the incident that led to the deaths of 37 illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, as one of the survivors alleged that they were sprayed with a substance while they were in the cell.
This corroborates the submission by the Niger State Governor, Umar Bago that the preliminary forensic review from the hospital and mortuary indicated that some of the corpses had foam in their mouths with bloodstains, while several others had parts of their skin peeling.
Recounting his experience, one of the survivors said 17 people were initially locked inside a small room before additional detainees were brought in following their arrests on September 15 and 16, around the Lieutenant-General Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate.
“They locked us in a very small room. We were 17 in number, then they added more people, and we started complaining that the room was small,” he said.
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According to him, the situation became worse after detainees were asked to stand up as the room was about to be locked. He alleged that an unidentified substance, which looked like perfume, was 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 said people subsequently began falling as the room became increasingly hot and they pleaded for water.
“We pleaded with them to give us water, but they said no one would open the door for us,” he said.
Governor Bago while receiving the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, said the forensic review from the hospital and mortuary indicated that some of the corpses had foam in their mouths with bloodstains, while several others had parts of their skin peeling.
The actual cause of death and circumstances are awaited, as different agencies and the state government have launched a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
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(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
