Northern Senators Demand Independent Probe Into Deaths Of 37 Detainees In Minna

The Northern Senators Forum has demanded an immediate, transparent and independent investigation into the reported deaths of 37 young Nigerians in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.

The forum, in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by its Chairman, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua, described the circumstances surrounding the deaths as deeply disturbing, following reports that the detainees were confined in a small room, cried for help and subsequently choked to death.

The senators invoked the memory of the Holocaust, saying the tragedy should remind authorities of the consequences of denying people in custody their basic human dignity. The forum, however, stressed that it was not equating the Minna incident with the Holocaust or the Nazi killing centres, but said the circumstances raised fundamental questions about the treatment of people deprived of their liberty.

The forum demanded that the investigation establish who ordered the arrests, where the detainees were taken, who authorised their detention at the facility, whether the room was fit for human habitation, when distress calls were made, who received them and what action was taken before the deaths occurred.

It also called for the involvement of the National Human Rights Commission, the Nigerian Bar Association, credible civil society organisations and independent forensic experts in the investigation.

The Northern Senators Forum further demanded independent autopsies for all 37 victims, with representatives of the families and independent pathologists participating in the process.

It said anyone found culpable of criminal negligence, unlawful detention, reckless conduct or any deliberate act that contributed to the deaths should be prosecuted regardless of rank or position.

The senators also called for a nationwide review of detention facilities operated by security agencies to prevent similar incidents.

“The dead cannot speak for themselves; it is now the responsibility of the living to demand the truth, protect their dignity, and ensure that such a tragedy is never repeated,” the forum said.

The Northern Senators Forum extended condolences to the bereaved families and the people of Niger State, praying that Almighty Allah grants the deceased Al-Jannatul Firdaus and gives their families the strength to bear the loss.