Why I Refused To Open Cell Door Before 37 Miners Died – NSCDC Officer

The officer in charge of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) detention facility in Niger State, Assistant Superintendent of Corps (ASC) Usman Isah Ndamaka, has testified that fear of being overpowered by detainees prevented him from unlocking the cell door despite hearing victims scream before 37 suspected miners died in custody.

Ndamaka, who broke down in tears while testifying before the Justice Mohammed Mohammed Judicial Commission of Inquiry sitting in Minna, acknowledged his failure to prevent the disaster and offered an apology to the bereaved families and the Niger State Government.

An error is already committed. I’m very sorry, sir, for the death of the miners under my custody. It is unfortunate that this happened under my watch, the officer stated during his submission to the panel.

I’m pained, and it is very unfortunate it happened. I’m very sorry. I admitted my mistake, he added.

Detailing the events leading up to the tragedy, Ndamaka explained that 58 suspects—comprising 33 males and 25 females—were brought to the state command, even though the primary detention unit possessed a capacity of only 28 to 30 people.

He noted that although officials attempted to relocate the female detainees to an alternative space, the remaining holding cells remained severely overcrowded.

The officer stated that the suspects arrived late in the evening during a torrential rainstorm, complicating efforts to manage the overcrowded facilities or arrange immediate transfers.

Ndamaka further informed the panel that an attempt to transfer a section of the detainees to the old command building failed after the Mining Marshals declined to accept them into their custody.

He maintained that as the distress in the overcrowded cell escalated, he refrained from unlocking the door because he feared the available personnel on guard duty would be overpowered by the desperate detainees.

The judicial inquiry is investigating the circumstances surrounding the arrest, detention, and subsequent deaths of the 37 suspected illegal miners on September 17, 2026, to determine whether operational negligence or human rights abuses contributed to the fatalities.

Also appearing before the panel, the Head of the NSCDC Investigation Unit, Chief Superintendent of Corps Sunday Oluwadere, confirmed that he profiled the suspects and confiscated physical exhibits, expressing regret over procedural shortcomings in handling the case.

Providing medical testimony earlier in the proceedings, the Chief Consultant Pathologist at General Hospital, Minna, Dr. Alfa Sule, stated that formal post-mortem examinations, toxicology screens, and histology assessments are necessary to establish the official cause of death.

Sule explained that forensic samples gathered from the deceased are being routed to a specialized laboratory in Lagos State for comprehensive analysis, with final autopsy reports expected to be submitted directly to the judicial commission upon completion.