Former Kaduna Central senator, Shehu Sani, has recalled his experience in detention while reacting to the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State.
Sani said his experience of prolonged incarceration enabled him to relate to accounts emerging from the NSCDC detention facility in Minna, where the suspected miners reportedly died.
The former lawmaker, who was detained under the military regime of the late General Sani Abacha between 1995 and 1998, described overcrowded detention cells as “hell on earth,” warning of the dangers associated with poor ventilation and extreme heat.
Sani stated this in a post on his X handle on Sunday.
He wrote, “For those of us who have experienced prolonged detention in a crowded cell, we know the cruelty of the dungeon – the darkness, the asphyxiation, the sweat, the pungent odour, and the tears.
“When the heat becomes unbearable, one can only use a spoon or a plate to bang on the wall for some oxygen. If they refuse to open up for a temporary breeze of fresh air, blood can ooze from the nostrils, and then one can only shout and give up.
“A congested cell is hell on earth. It is a place where bringing your nose close to the window to breathe is a rare privilege reserved for the strong.
“I can feel what happened to the Niger minors. Those who are directly or indirectly involved in this must face the full wrath of the law for the rest of their lives.”
The suspected illegal miners reportedly died after being arrested during operations against illegal mining in Niger State on September 15 and 16.
According to reports, about 65 detainees were held in an overcrowded and poorly ventilated cell at the NSCDC facility in Minna.
Survivors reportedly said some detainees struggled to breathe before several of them died.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain under investigation. While the NSCDC initially linked the incident to a suspected disease outbreak, accounts from survivors alleged that overcrowding, excessive heat, poor ventilation and dehydration contributed to the deaths.
The Niger State Government has ordered forensic examinations and autopsies as part of efforts to establish the cause of the deaths.
The Federal Government, NSCDC and police are also investigating the incident.
The Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, was suspended pending the outcome of the investigations, while other personnel allegedly connected to the incident were reportedly detained in Abuja.
Sani has previously spoken publicly about his own experience in detention during the Abacha regime.
In November 2025, he disclosed that he spent time in Kiri Kiri and Port Harcourt prisons before being transferred to Aba Prisons in Abia State.
He said at the time, “I served my own life imprisonment in Aba Prisons, Abia State, after spending a year in Kiri Kiri and Port Harcourt prisons.”
Sani was convicted and sentenced by the Abacha military junta and was released following the restoration of democratic rule in 1999.
