The Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA) has called for an independent investigation. The group wants a thorough probe into the reported deaths of 37 persons in NSCDC custody in Niger State. PRAWA made the call in a statement by its Communications Manager, Nnadozie Onwurah. The statement was issued on Saturday in Abuja.
Deaths in custody are a recurring problem in Nigeria. The National Human Rights Commission has documented thousands of custodial deaths over the past decade. In 2017, the commission reported that over 2,000 people died in police and military detention between 2010 and 2016. In 2020, the #EndSARS protests were triggered partly by custodial killings. Detention facilities are routinely overcrowded and poorly ventilated. The NSCDC is a civil defence corps. Its holding cells were not designed for mass arrests. The pattern is old. The deaths continue.
The deceased were arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining in Niger State on 15 and 16 September. The deaths were discovered on 17 September. PRAWA expressed condolences to the families. Onwurah said death in custody should be a matter of grave public concern. “When a person is arrested and deprived of liberty, the state assumes heightened responsibility for the person’s safety, dignity and well-being,” he said. “Detention does not extinguish fundamental rights.”
Survivors provided information. The allegations include extreme overcrowding, difficulty breathing, inadequate ventilation, severe heat and lack of access to water. PRAWA welcomed steps taken by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. It urged that the investigation be independent, transparent and unhindered. It said the outcome should determine whether the incident was isolated or indicative of systemic problems.
PRAWA referenced the UN Committee Against Torture’s concluding observations on Nigeria. The committee expressed concerns over poor detention conditions, inadequate medical care, insufficient food and water, overcrowding and the lack of reliable information on deaths in custody. It called for all deaths in custody to be promptly, thoroughly and impartially investigated, including through independent forensic examination. PRAWA also cited the Global Torture Index 2026, produced by the World Organisation Against Torture. The index classified Nigeria as “High Risk” for torture and ill-treatment.
PRAWA called for determination of individual causes of death, examination of state responsibility and identification of systemic failures. It appealed for protection for witnesses, disclosure of findings, prosecution and remedies. It also called for support for affected families, including access to information and psychosocial assistance.
Winners: PRAWA, which demonstrates advocacy. The Minister of Interior, who gains credibility for ordering a probe. The NSCDC national leadership, which can distance itself from the local command. Families of the deceased, who gain a platform. Losers: The 37 dead and their families. Survivors who face trauma. The Niger NSCDC command, which faces investigation. The state, which cannot guarantee safety in custody. Nigerians who now know that arrest can be a death sentence.
Bottom Line: Thirty-seven men died in custody. PRAWA wants answers. The Minister of Interior has ordered a probe. The families want justice. The pattern is familiar. The deaths are not. Until custody conditions improve across all detention facilities, Nigeria will keep counting the dead.