Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has called for a transparent and independent investigation into the deaths of 37 detainees in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, describing the incident as a tragedy that demands urgent answers.
In a post on his X handle on Friday, Obi said the victims, who had been arrested as suspects, remained human beings regardless of the offences they were accused of, and that the state bore responsibility for keeping them alive, safe, and treated humanely while due process ran its course.
He described it as disturbing that so many people could die within a detention facility in such a short period.
Although investigations are ongoing into the exact cause of the deaths, with reports pointing to disease, overcrowding, and poor ventilation, Obi insisted that Nigerians deserve a credible probe that establishes precisely what happened.
The tragedy, he said, was a reminder that security goes beyond arresting suspects and must also involve protecting lives, upholding the dignity of every citizen, and ensuring that institutions charged with public safety operate within the law.
Obi argued that a nation cannot claim to value human life when people enter government custody alive and emerge dead without immediate and credible accountability.
He extended condolences to the families of the deceased and urged authorities to ensure justice is served, stressing that Nigeria must become a country where the rule of law protects every citizen — those in custody as well as those who are free.
He closed by praying that God grants the bereaved families the strength to bear their loss.
