The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: NSCDC

  • Niger NSCDC Commandant Admits Mistake, Apologises Over Miners’ Deaths

    Niger NSCDC Commandant Admits Mistake, Apologises Over Miners’ Deaths

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The suspended Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Suberu Aniviye, has apologised to the families of suspected illegal miners who died in custody, admitting that the incident could have been prevented.

    Aniviye described the deaths as a “costly mistake” while testifying before the Justice Muhammad Muhammad Commission of Inquiry in Minna, which is investigating the incident that occurred in September 2026.

    “A mistake has been made, but a very costly one. My apology to the parents of the deceased and to the people and government of Niger State,” he told the commission.

    The former commandant, who served from August 25, 2025, until September 18, 2026, expressed regret that the deaths occurred under his watch.

    He explained that the operation began after residents submitted written and oral complaints that mining activities at a site along the M. I. Wushishi Housing Estate in Minna were disrupting their community.

    According to him, he visited the site on September 15, 2026, and directed the Head of Operations, Assistant Commandant of Corps Joha Achagwa, to act on the complaints.

    The Mining Marshal Unit was subsequently deployed, leading to the arrest of suspected illegal miners during an operation on the evening of September 16.

    Aniviye said he received a telephone call the following day informing him that some detainees had died in custody. He rushed to the command headquarters, where he found several bodies lying on the cell floor.

    He added that he contacted Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, who directed that the bodies be taken to a hospital. He also notified the Commissioner of Police and the Director of the Department of State Services.

    The suspended commandant further told the commission that arrangements had been made to arraign the suspects in court on September 17 before the deaths occurred.

    However, testimony from the suspended head of the NSCDC legal unit, Assistant Commandant of Corps Stephen Tsado, raised questions about the handling of minors arrested during the operation.

    Tsado said part of his responsibilities involved preparing case files, forwarding cases for prosecution and advising the commandant on legal matters.

    He told the commission that he discovered some of the arrested suspects were minors and advised Aniviye to release them to their parents on bail.

    “I advised him to grant them bail to their parents,” Tsado said, adding that he personally urged the commandant to act on the recommendation to protect the minors’ rights.

    He, however, said he could not explain why the advice was not implemented.

    The commission also heard from Nurse Maryam Etang of the NSCDC medical unit, who said she visited the detention cell as part of her routine duties on September 16 and 17.

    Etang disclosed that one of the suspects was coughing seriously on September 17, around the time the bodies were being removed from the cell.

    She also expressed shock at finding the body of one Emeka Emmanuel among the deceased, insisting that he was not among the miners arrested during the operation.

    Her testimony raised questions about Emmanuel’s presence in the cell and the circumstances surrounding his death.

    The commission is expected to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths, examine the treatment of detainees and establish whether there were lapses in the operation and the handling of suspects in custody.

    In an earlier sitting, a mortician at Minna General Hospital told the panel that 33 bodies were delivered to the hospital’s mortuary. The figure differs from the 37 deaths reported by the Niger State Government and other authorities.

    Governor Bago inaugurated a nine-member judicial commission of inquiry in September to investigate the deaths, which sparked protests in the state and prompted the governor to impose a 24-hour curfew in Minna.

    President Bola Tinubu subsequently ordered a full and transparent investigation, warning that the government would not tolerate mass deaths resulting from official negligence, dereliction of duty or failure to protect people in public custody.

    The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, also announced the suspension of 20 NSCDC officers in connection with the incident.

  • 37 Miners’ Deaths: NSCDC Detains 24 Personnel, Parades Suspended Niger Commandant

    37 Miners’ Deaths: NSCDC Detains 24 Personnel, Parades Suspended Niger Commandant

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has detained 24 of its personnel over the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in its custody in Niger State.

    Among those paraded at the NSCDC headquarters in Abuja on Sunday was the suspended Niger State Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, alongside 23 other officers and personnel linked to the incident.

    The Corps said three additional personnel had been identified and suspended, increasing the number of personnel held in connection with the incident from the initial 21 to 24.

    NSCDC spokesman, Assistant Commandant Babawale Afolabi, said the affected personnel had been moved to the Corps’ national headquarters in Abuja since September 17, where they were being interrogated and subjected to administrative disciplinary procedures.

    He said the personnel would also be made available to the 10-member Presidential Independent Investigation Committee and other investigative panels for further questioning and possible prosecution.

    The Commandant General of the NSCDC, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, said the Corps would ensure due process, transparency and accountability throughout the investigation.

    Audi said personnel found culpable would face internal disciplinary measures and prosecution in accordance with the law.

    “As a Corps built on integrity, professionalism, discipline, and absolute respect for the rule of law, we do not condone unprofessional conduct, high-handedness, or any action that undermines the fundamental rights of citizens or the sacred trust reposed in us,” the NSCDC said.

    The Corps also ordered its flag to be flown at half-mast across its commands and formations for three days from Sunday, September 20, in mourning for the deceased.

    The deaths occurred after scores of suspected illegal miners were arrested during anti-illegal mining operations at the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16.

    The NSCDC initially said some of the detainees died in the early hours of September 17 following a suspected disease outbreak, stressing that the actual cause of death would be established through medical examination.

    The incident has since triggered multiple investigations. The Federal Government constituted a 10-member independent committee to establish the identities of the deceased, examine the circumstances surrounding their arrest and detention, and determine the cause and circumstances of their deaths.

    The Niger State Government has also established a panel of inquiry and ordered autopsies, while the police are conducting a separate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

    The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has additionally deployed mining and technical experts to assist in determining whether activities at the mining sites or other factors contributed to the deaths.

    The National Human Rights Commission has called for an independent forensic autopsy and preservation of evidence, urging that the investigation meet international standards for investigating potentially unlawful deaths in custody.

    The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had earlier suspended Aniviye and 20 other NSCDC officers pending the outcome of the independent investigation. The suspended personnel included officers responsible for guard duties, arrests, investigation, intelligence, legal services, day and night duties and custody.

    Following Aniviye’s suspension, Abdulhamid Kabara was deployed as the new NSCDC commandant in Niger State.

    The NSCDC said it would continue to provide updates on the outcome of its investigation, while pledging to uphold human rights, professional ethics and accountability.

    The cause of the deaths has not been conclusively established, and the various investigations are ongoing.

  • FG Vows Accountability Over Deaths of Niger Miners in NSCDC Custody

    FG Vows Accountability Over Deaths of Niger Miners in NSCDC Custody

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Federal Government has pledged that any person found responsible for the deaths of suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State will face accountability.

    The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, gave the assurance in a statement on Friday while commiserating with the Niger State Government, the Wushishi community and the families of the deceased.

    The suspected illegal miners were arrested during enforcement operations against illegal mining in the Wushishi/Lukoto axis of Niger State.

    Idris said the circumstances surrounding the deaths must be subjected to a thorough, transparent and impartial investigation before responsibility could be established.

    He stressed that the government would not prejudge the outcome of the probe, adding that its immediate priority was to establish the facts and ensure justice was served.

    “There will be no attempt to shield anyone found culpable. At the same time, we mustn’t prejudge the outcome of the investigation.

    “The Government’s responsibility is to ensure that the facts are established and that justice is served,” he said.

    The minister said the Federal Government considered the protection of the lives, dignity and fundamental rights of Nigerians a serious responsibility.

    He noted that steps had already been taken to determine what led to the deaths following the suspension of the Niger State Commandant of the NSCDC, Suberu Aniviye, by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

    Tunji-Ojo had also directed that a comprehensive investigation be conducted into the incident.

    According to Idris, the suspension of the commandant demonstrated the seriousness with which the government viewed the matter.

    “The investigation will be allowed to establish exactly what happened, and the Government assures Nigerians that appropriate action will be taken based on its findings,” he said.

    The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tackling illegal mining and other unlawful activities capable of undermining national security, damaging the environment and depriving the country of its economic resources.

    He, however, stressed that enforcement operations must be conducted within the law and in a manner that protects human life and dignity.

    The deaths followed the arrest of suspected illegal miners during NSCDC enforcement operations conducted in parts of Niger State on September 15 and 16.

    Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, subsequently confirmed that 37 suspected illegal miners had died in NSCDC custody.

    He said forensic and medical examinations, including autopsies, were being conducted to determine the cause of the deaths.

    The NSCDC also constituted an investigative team to examine the condition of the suspects at the time of their arrest, their period in custody, the conditions under which they were detained and the medical attention provided to them.

    The cause of the deaths has not yet been established.

    Meanwhile, former Vice President and 2027 ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has called for accountability over the deaths, saying anyone found responsible through “action, abuse or negligence” should be held accountable.

    Atiku said the families of the deceased deserved “the truth” and “justice” and called for an independent, thorough and transparent investigation into the incident.

    Idris appealed for calm in Wushishi and other parts of Niger State, urging residents and other concerned parties to allow the investigation to proceed without interference.

    He expressed the Federal Government’s condolences to the families of the deceased, the Wushishi community and the Niger State Government, assuring them that the government remained committed to uncovering the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

    He prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased and strength for their families and the people of Niger State.

  • FG Suspends Niger NSCDC Commandant Over Deaths of Miners in Custody

    FG Suspends Niger NSCDC Commandant Over Deaths of Miners in Custody

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Federal Government has suspended the Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Suberu Aniviye, following the deaths of suspected illegal miners held in the agency’s custody.

    The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, directed the immediate suspension and ordered a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

    The incident reportedly occurred at the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis of Minna, the Niger State capital, in the early hours of Thursday.

    The minister’s directive was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Alao Babatunde.

    According to the statement, the deceased suspects were among suspected illegal miners arrested during enforcement operations carried out in parts of the state on September 15 and 16, 2026.

    Tunji-Ojo described the development as unfortunate and said the suspension of the state commandant would remain in place while the investigation lasted.

    “It is an unfortunate incident, however, a full investigation will be conducted while the commandant under whose watch this happened remains suspended,” the minister said.

    He added that the government’s primary responsibility was to protect lives and maintain security.

    “We run a government whose ultimate priority is security of lives and we have worked to stay true to this,” he said.

    The minister appealed to residents to remain calm and obey the law while the investigation was conducted.

    He also expressed his condolences to Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, as well as the families and relatives of those who died.

    Reports had indicated that at least 33 suspected illegal miners died while in custody, although the NSCDC has not officially confirmed the exact number of fatalities.

    The deaths had earlier prompted the NSCDC to establish an investigative panel to determine what led to the incident.

    The corps’ National Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, announced the investigation in a statement on Thursday.

    He said the panel, headed by the Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation, was tasked with carrying out a detailed inquiry into the deaths.

    The investigation is expected to examine the condition of the suspects when they were arrested, their treatment while in custody, detention conditions, medical care provided and other factors that may have contributed to the fatalities.

    The NSCDC also warned against drawing conclusions about the cause of death before the completion of medical and laboratory examinations.

    The corps said claims linking the deaths to a particular disease had not been medically established and should therefore not be treated as confirmed.