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Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has called on the Attorneys-General of Niger and Ondo states to ensure the prosecution of anyone found responsible for two separate incidents that have claimed the lives of scores of Nigerians.
Falana made the call in a statement following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State and a mass illness outbreak in Ondo State that has so far claimed 48 lives.
Niger Deaths
In Niger State, Falana urged the state Attorney-General, Nasiru Mu’azu, to ensure a speedy investigation into the deaths of the 37 detainees and the prosecution of anyone found culpable.
The victims were among more than 50 people arrested by the NSCDC during operations against suspected illegal mining activities in the state.
The detainees were reportedly held at an NSCDC facility before 37 of them were found dead.
The NSCDC initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak.
However, survivors and other accounts have raised concerns about overcrowding and poor ventilation at the detention facility.
Police have launched an investigation, while the Federal Government has also ordered a broader probe into the incident.
Falana said the circumstances surrounding the deaths should be thoroughly investigated and those found responsible prosecuted.
He also called for improved conditions in detention facilities across the country, urging authorities to ensure compliance with the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, commonly known as the Nelson Mandela Rules.
The senior lawyer recalled a similar tragedy in Lagos in 1980, when about 50 criminal suspects reportedly suffocated inside a police transport van at the premises of the Tinubu Magistrate Court.
He argued that the Niger incident should prompt a wider review of detention conditions in Nigeria, rather than be treated as an isolated tragedy.
Ondo Toxic-Drink Outbreak
In Ondo State, Falana urged the state Attorney-General, Olukayode Ajulo, SAN, to take steps towards prosecuting suspects linked to the mass illness and deaths associated with locally prepared alcoholic and herbal concoctions.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has confirmed 48 deaths out of 182 reported cases in the outbreak as of September 17, 2026.
The affected communities include New Town, Odole, Okele, Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu and Oniparaga, with Odigbo Town and Araromi-Obu recording the highest number of cases.
NAFDAC said cases had also been reported in Irele Local Government Area.
The agency said five victims had been rendered completely blind, while two others suffered partial loss of sight.
NAFDAC’s preliminary laboratory analysis also detected high concentrations of methanol in samples of the suspected drinks.
Eleven of 15 samples tested positive for Cannabis indica, although the agency said further analysis was still ongoing.
NAFDAC said 15 people had been arrested in connection with the production, sale and distribution of the suspected harmful beverages.
Falana urged the Ondo Attorney-General to ensure that the investigation leads to prosecution where evidence establishes criminal responsibility.
Call For Accountability
Falana’s intervention comes amid growing public concern over the two incidents, which occurred in different circumstances but resulted in significant loss of life.
While investigations into the Niger deaths are still expected to establish the precise cause of death and determine individual responsibility, the Ondo investigation is also continuing as health and regulatory authorities work to identify the substances responsible for the outbreak.
Falana said the appropriate authorities must ensure that the deaths do not go without accountability and that measures are taken to prevent similar tragedies in the future.