The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has called for an urgent and transparent investigation into the deaths of 37 Nigerians in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.
The party made the call in Abuja on Saturday through its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Abubakar Yusuf, while expressing concern over the circumstances surrounding the deaths and the subsequent protests by residents.
The deaths reportedly occurred after 66 persons, said to have been arrested over alleged illegal mining activities, were detained in a cell at an NSCDC facility in Minna.
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Authorities reportedly attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, while reports indicated that the detainees were held for more than two days under overcrowded and harsh conditions.
The deaths triggered protests in Minna, during which security agencies were reportedly accused of using ammunition and tear gas against demonstrators protesting the fatalities.
The APM condemned the reported use of force against the protesters, warning that it could lead to further loss of lives.
Yusuf said the circumstances surrounding the deaths were disturbing, particularly the report that 66 detainees were cramped into a cell where 37 subsequently died.
He noted, “The avoidable death of these citizens who were reportedly detained in very inhuman conditions in a government facility is yet another sad episode which further spotlights the level of inconsequentiality the APC administration attaches to human lives.”
The party said the explanation by the authorities that the victims were alleged illegal miners and that they died from a suspected disease outbreak could not justify the fatalities.
It argued that the circumstances raised serious questions about the conditions under which the detainees were held.
“It is unimaginable that sixty-six persons were cramped into a cell where 37 of them died of excessive heat and after being reportedly sprayed with a yet-to-be-identified substance”, the APM added.
The APM also condemned the reported use of ammunition and tear gas against citizens protesting the deaths, stressing that the lives of Nigerians must be protected regardless of the circumstances surrounding their arrest or detention.
“Indeed, this is not the Nigeria we dream of,” Yusuf said, adding that the death of citizens in detention facilities could not be justified under any guise.
The party further stated that the investigation should establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and the alleged use of force against protesters and called for those found responsible to be held accountable.
The APM sympathised with the families of the victims and the people of Niger State, while urging Nigerians to remain calm pending the outcome of the investigation.
This removes the repeated calls for a probe while retaining the specific issues the investigation should address.