Survivors of a mass death incident at a detention facility in Nigeria have described scenes of panic after an unidentified substance was allegedly sprayed into a crowded cell where dozens of detainees were being held.

Thirty-seven people died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, the capital of Niger State, according to authorities. The deaths have sparked protests and renewed concerns about conditions in Nigerian detention facilities.

Three survivors told Reuters that detainees were packed into a small cell and that officers allegedly sprayed an unidentified substance inside while the doors remained locked despite repeated cries for help.

Adamu Isah, 22, said he was among teenagers and young men detained during a security operation targeting suspected illegal gold mining sites outside Minna.

According to Isah, around 17 detainees were initially placed in a cell measuring roughly 5 square meters. Nearly 50 additional miners were later brought into the same room, he said.

The detainees complained to guards that the cell was dangerously overcrowded. Isah said officers subsequently sprayed an unidentified substance beneath the door.

“At first, we thought they were trying to put some scent into the room,” Isah told Reuters.

About an hour later, detainees reportedly began behaving erratically and losing consciousness. Isah said people started dying one after another as others shouted for help.

Another survivor, 29-year-old Dauda Shehu, gave a similar account. He said the substance smelled like perfume and that detainees later experienced throat irritation and difficulty breathing.

Survivors described scenes of confusion inside the cell, with some detainees becoming disoriented or aggressive before collapsing. They said people repeatedly pounded on the locked door and called for assistance.

A third survivor also described an unidentified substance being sprayed into the cell. In footage broadcast by Nigerian television station TVC News, the survivor told government officials that detainees had repeatedly complained about the cramped conditions but were ignored.

He said the substance smelled similar to pepper and that he eventually lost consciousness before waking the following morning.

Reuters said it could not independently verify the survivors’ accounts or establish what substance, if any, was sprayed into the cell.

The NSCDC initially suggested that a disease outbreak might have contributed to the deaths. The agency later said the cause of death had not been established and would be investigated.

The bodies were presented to the media, but Reuters said it could not independently determine the cause of death. Many victims were buried quickly in accordance with Islamic traditions, while six bodies remained at a Niger State General Hospital mortuary, according to a hospital spokesperson.

The detainees had reportedly been arrested during raids on suspected illegal gold mining operations. The NSCDC said the operations were part of efforts to regulate mining activities.

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered an investigation into the deaths. His government also suspended several senior NSCDC officials pending the outcome of the inquiry.

The NSCDC, Nigeria’s Interior Ministry and the Niger state government did not respond to Reuters’ written questions about the allegations.

Public anger over the deaths led to clashes on Friday, leaving one person dead. Authorities subsequently imposed a 24-hour curfew in Niger State.

The investigation is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths, including the conditions in which the detainees were held and the cause of the fatalities.

SOURCE: Reuters, Ibrahim Ndamitso and Ahmed Kingimi, September 22, 2026.