According to a report submitted to the Federal Ministry of Interior, about 50 male detainees were confined in a cell measuring approximately 12 square metres, without drinking water, proper ventilation or a functioning toilet.
Describing the conditions inside the facility, the committee noted that there was “no water” and the “toilet not functional”, adding that some detainees “drank urine or sweat” out of desperation.
The report further disclosed that NSCDC medical personnel had warned officers about the dangers of overcrowding and the risk of suffocation, but their concerns were allegedly ignored.
The detainees reportedly began experiencing burning throats, breathing difficulties, excessive sweating and intense thirst from around 7:15 p.m. on September 16. They subsequently screamed and banged on the cell door, pleading for assistance and water.
An armoury guard, Ahmed Abubakar Wushishi, told the committee that he heard persistent screams and banging between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. on September 17.
However, the night guard, Hassan Mohammed, reportedly refused to open the cell without armed backup.
The committee established that the d+aths occurred between 8 p.m. on September 16 and 7 a.m. the following day, when the cell was eventually opened.
It attributed the d+aths to acute hypoxic respiratory failure, also known as environmental asphyxia, worsened by heat stress and dehydration.
The report also noted that post-mortem examinations were conducted on only three of the 33 victims because the remaining 30 bodies had already been b¥ried.
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