An independent ministerial committee investigating the deaths of 33 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, has attributed the tragedy to overcrowding, extreme heat, dehydration and poor detention conditions.

The committee, chaired by Jonathan Kure, disclosed its findings on Tuesday while presenting its report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja.

According to the report, the deaths were preventable and resulted from severe overcrowding, poor ventilation, failure of duty of care, inadequate supervision and the disregard of repeated distress warnings.

The committee said medical and forensic evidence did not support claims that a disease outbreak caused the deaths. Instead, the fatalities were attributed to acute respiratory failure arising from prolonged confinement in a severely overcrowded and poorly ventilated cell, worsened by heat stress and dehydration.

The investigation involved interviews with NSCDC officials, operational personnel, cell guards, medical staff, survivors, bereaved families, community representatives and burial managers.

The panel also examined arrest and detention registers, communication records, duty rosters, hospital and mortuary records, autopsy findings and burial records. It interviewed 29 of the 41 survivors, including nine minors.

The committee established that the incident followed enforcement operations targeting suspected illegal mining activities in and around Minna.

It further found that the operation leading to the arrests was conducted without an operational order or approval from the NSCDC national headquarters.

The findings come amid calls for accountability over the deaths, with the committee reportedly recommending compensation of ₦1.4 billion for victims’ families and the dismissal of some personnel implicated in the incident.