37 lives in custody: When the state becomes accountable to the dead, by Ejiro Ofoye

Nigeria is once again confronted with a tragedy that should trouble the conscience of every citizen: 37 people arrested over alleged illegal mining have died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.
The immediate facts are disturbing. The suspects were arrested during enforcement operations around the Wushishi–Lukoto area on September 15 and 16. By September 17, 37 of those detained were dead. Reports indicate that many of the detainees were young people, with some reportedly between 14 and 18 years old. The exact cause of death remains under investigation. But the bigger question is not merely how they died. It is how 37 human beings...