Deaths in detention cells in Nigeria were entirely preventable, inquiry finds

An inquiry into the deaths of 33 detainees in Minna, Nigeria, found that they were preventable and resulted from severe overcrowding, poor ventilation, heat stress and dehydration. Fifty people, including minors, were held in a roughly 20-square-metre cell without running water or a functioning toilet, while officers failed to respond to pleas for help. The detainees had been arrested on suspicion of illegal mining, but the sites were licensed, and the raid lacked proper planning and approval. Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said implicated officers would face suspension and possible legal action, while the committee recommended compensation.