Survivors of the detention disaster that left 37 suspected illegal miners dead in Minna have described desperate scenes inside an overcrowded cell, saying detainees struggled to breathe, banged repeatedly on the door and pleaded with officers for help as people began collapsing.

The new eyewitness accounts are raising further questions about the circumstances surrounding the deaths in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The NSCDC initially suggested that a suspected disease outbreak may have been responsible.

However, survivors say detainees were packed into a poorly ventilated cell and began struggling for air.

An intelligence report seen by AFP also indicated that preliminary information pointed to overcrowding and inadequate ventilation.

The official cause of death has not yet been established.

65 DETAINEES REPORTEDLY PACKED INTO CELL

Survivor Dauda Shehu told the Associated Press that about 65 detainees had been packed into a poorly ventilated cell.

Shehu said conditions deteriorated as detainees began struggling to breathe.

He said those inside attempted to attract the attention of guards by banging repeatedly on the cell door.

According to his account, the detainees scrambled toward areas where they could find fresh air as the situation became increasingly desperate.

Another survivor told AFP that he believed he survived because he was positioned near the entrance of the cell where there was better access to air.

He said detainees repeatedly screamed for assistance and warned guards that people were dying.

These accounts have not yet been tested by the official investigation.

MANY OF THE DEAD WERE TEENAGERS

Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago said many of those who died were children between the ages of 14 and 18.

The victims had been detained following NSCDC operations targeting suspected illegal mining activities in the Wushishi Lukoto area west of Minna on September 15 and 16.

Their deaths were discovered on Thursday.

The revelation that many of the victims were teenagers has intensified public anger and demands for accountability.

DISEASE EXPLANATION FACES NEW QUESTIONS

The NSCDC initially said a suspected disease outbreak may have contributed to the deaths.

The agency later clarified that the actual cause had not been established and would require medical investigation.

The survivor accounts now provide a substantially different possible explanation.

An intelligence report seen by AFP suggested overcrowding and poor ventilation may have caused the deaths.

That assessment remains preliminary and should not be treated as a final medical determination.

Determining whether the detainees died from suffocation, disease or another cause is now one of the central questions facing investigators.

VICTIMS ALREADY BURIED

The investigation could face additional complications because the victims were buried on Thursday in accordance with Islamic tradition.

Reuters reported that the burials took place before forensic investigations had been completed, raising questions about how authorities will establish definitive medical causes of death.

Officials have nevertheless promised a full investigation.

Families of the victims are demanding answers about the conditions in which their relatives were detained and what happened during the final hours before their deaths.

TINUBU ORDERS FULL INVESTIGATION

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a full and transparent investigation into the deaths.

The President said the fact that the detainees were suspected of illegal mining did not remove their rights to life, dignity and humane treatment.

Tinubu said officials found responsible for negligence, abuse or failure to protect those in custody should be held accountable.

Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji Ojo has also suspended Niger State NSCDC Commandant Suberu Siyaka Aniviye pending the outcome of the investigation.

The NSCDC and police have launched investigations into the incident.

DEATHS TRIGGER UNREST ACROSS MINNA

The custody deaths triggered demonstrations across Minna as residents and relatives demanded justice.

Reuters witnessed security forces firing live ammunition during Friday's unrest as some protesters carried sticks, machetes and traditional hunting rifles.

Some demonstrators also attempted to set government buildings on fire.

Authorities subsequently imposed a curfew as soldiers and police moved to restore order.

The protests have transformed the deaths from a detention incident into a wider public order and accountability crisis for state and federal authorities.

INVESTIGATION NOW FACES CRITICAL QUESTIONS

Investigators will now face pressure to establish how many people were held inside the cell, whether the facility had adequate ventilation, when officers became aware that detainees were in distress and what action was taken to assist them.

They will also have to determine whether the deaths could have been prevented.

Survivor testimony does not by itself establish the medical cause of death, but the consistency of accounts describing overcrowding and difficulty breathing has increased scrutiny of the initial suggestion that disease was responsible.

For families of the 37 victims, the central demand remains a clear explanation of what happened inside the detention facility and accountability if official negligence or misconduct contributed to the deaths.