By Emmanuel Thomas l Friday, Sept 18, 2026
MINNA — Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed deep outrage and sorrow over the tragic death of 37 persons while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) command in Minna, Niger State.
Reacting to the incident in a statement released on Friday, Obi described the loss of lives inside a state security facility as a deeply troubling tragedy that demands immediate, credible, and transparent answers from federal and state authorities.
The incident, which occurred at the state command headquarters of the paramilitary organization, has sparked widespread concern among human rights advocates and civil society groups across the country. Preliminary reports suggest that severe overcrowding, poor cellular ventilation, and the swift spread of infectious disease within the holding cells may have contributed significantly to the mass fatality.
Obi stressed that regardless of the offenses the deceased were suspected to have committed, they remained human beings whose constitutional rights and physical safety ought to have been safeguarded by law enforcement agencies.
”Let’s begin to give dignity to human lives in our land,” Obi declared. “The death of 37 persons in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, is a deeply troubling tragedy that demands urgent answers. These were persons who had been arrested as suspects. Whatever offence they were suspected of committing, they were still human beings, and the responsibility of the State was to keep them alive, safe, and treated humanely while due process took its course.”
Continuing, the former governor noted that it is particularly disturbing for such a high number of individuals to perish within a government facility in a brief timeframe. He insisted that the Nigerian public will not accept cover-ups or vague explanations regarding the operational failures that led to the incident.
”While investigations are ongoing into the actual cause of these deaths, including reports concerning disease, overcrowding, and inadequate ventilation, Nigerians deserve a transparent, independent, and credible investigation that establishes exactly what happened,” he added.
Obi further emphasized that the core objective of national security extends beyond the routine arrest and detention of citizens, calling for institutional reform within the nation’s security apparatus.
”This tragedy also reminds us that security is not merely about arresting people.
Security is about protecting lives, upholding the dignity of every citizen, and ensuring that the institutions entrusted with our safety operate within the law. A nation cannot claim to value human life when people can enter government custody alive and emerge dead without immediate, transparent, and credible accountability,” Obi warned.
Extending his condolences to the bereaved families, Obi called on the Federal Government, the Ministry of Interior, and the leadership of the NSCDC to ensure that officials responsible for negligence or improper conduct are brought to book.
”I extend my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and urge the authorities to ensure that justice is done. Nigeria must become a country where the rule of law protects every citizen, not only those who are free but also those who are in custody. May God grant the families the strength to bear this painful loss,” he concluded.
The incident highlights growing concerns over custodial conditions across security agencies in Nigeria. Detention centers managed by paramilitary agencies like the NSCDC, as well as the police and correctional services, frequently face systemic challenges including extreme congestion, inadequate medical infrastructure, prolonged pre-trial detentions, and poor sanitation.
Although the NSCDC was established under the NSCDC Act of 2003 (amended in 2007) primarily to safeguard critical national infrastructure and assist in civil protection, the agency has increasingly engaged in joint anti-banditry and anti-vandalism operations, leading to an influx of suspects held in temporary containment facilities not equipped for long-term detention.
Civil rights organizations have repeatedly urged the Federal Ministry of Interior to enforce strict custodial compliance guidelines, implement regular facility inspections, and ensure fast-track arraignments to prevent overcrowding in temporary holding cells.
