The Federal Government’s Independent Investigative Committee set up to probe the reported deaths of 37 detainees in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in Niger State has said the deaths resulted from asphyxiation.
The committee described the incident as preventable and attributed it to negligence.
Presenting its findings, the Chairman of the committee said the deaths occurred between September 16 and 17.
The committee also disclosed that physical assault and underlying medical conditions were not identified as causes of death.
It further revealed that the operation that led to the arrest of the detainees was carried out without operational order or approval from the NSCDC National Headquarters.
The committee recommended the summary dismissal of officers found primarily responsible for the incident.
It said its recommendations are expected to guide further actions to ensure accountability and prevent a recurrence.
