Poor jail conditions blamed for deaths of 33 miners in Nigeria

Following the deaths in prison of 33 young miners arrested on suspicion of illegal gold mining in central Nigeria, investigators say poor jail conditions are to blame. The men died in September after being held in an overcrowded cell in Minna, Niger state, following their arrest by a paramilitary government agency. Investigators say the tragedy could have been avoided. The committee concluded that the incident was a preventable custodial tragedy caused by severe overcrowding, unlawful and unsuitable detention conditions, failure of duty of care, disregard of repeated distress warnings, inadequate supervision and wider systemic deficiencies. Survivors described a suffocating overcrowded cell saying an irritating substance was sprayed inside. Their screams and desperate banging on the door went unanswered by guards. The committee concluded that these circumstances amounted to cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment and created an environment in which fatalities became foreseeable and preventable. Nigeria's prisons are notorious for severe overcrowding and crumbling infrastructure. Some facilities date back to British colonial rule.