By: Olayinka Ganiyu
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has suspended 20 more officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) over the reported deaths of 37 people in the Corps’ custody in Niger State. The Niger State Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, had already been suspended.
The suspensions will last until an independent investigation into the deaths, which occurred on Thursday, September 17, 2026, is concluded. The Ministry of Interior announced this on Saturday in a statement signed by the minister.
The statement said the suspensions came alongside the setting up of a 10-member independent committee. The committee is to identify the deceased and investigate their arrest, detention and the cause and circumstances of their deaths. It is also to determine who bears responsibility and whether there was complicity, negligence or misconduct, and to recommend appropriate action, including compensation where applicable.
The 20 suspended officers are:
- O/C Station Guard, SC Usman Isah Ndamaka
- Station Guard, ASCI Hassan Mohammed
- Station Guard, CCA Bala Mohammed
- Arresting Officer/O/C Investigation, CSC Oluwadare Sunday
- Arresting Officer, DCC Obafemi Elvis
- Arresting Officer, CSC Annas Shitto Lamino
- HOD INT/INV, DCC Philip Ajayi
- O/C Legal, ACC Barr. Stephen Tsado
- Night Duty Officer, ASCI Alhassan Mohammed
- Guard Duty, IC Abdullahi Sale
- Guard Duty, IC Mohammed Sonfada
- Guard Duty, CAI Liman Abubakar
- Guard Duty, CAI Bala Usman
- Guard Duty, IC Mohammed Jiya
- Guard Duty, DSC Isah Suleiman
- Guard Duty, CAI Ahmed Wushishi
- Guard Duty, IC Sale Adamu
- Guard Duty, IC Haruna Mohammed
- Guard Duty, ASCI Aliyu Sallah
- Guard Duty, CAI Isah Sanusi
What happened
The 37 victims were among scores of suspected illegal miners arrested by the NSCDC Niger State Command on September 15 and 16 during enforcement operations in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas. The Corps said the operation was part of its campaign against illegal mining and that several exhibits were recovered.
Some of the detainees were found dead in the Corps’ custody in Minna the next day. The NSCDC first attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak and said the bodies had been taken to the General Hospital, Minna, for examination. The actual cause of death has not been confirmed.
One survivor, Dauda Shehu, told journalists that detainees were crammed into a poorly ventilated cell and struggled to breathe. Another survivor alleged that a substance resembling perfume was sprayed into the overcrowded cell shortly before some detainees began collapsing. Neither account has been established as the official cause of death.
The deaths triggered protests in Minna, and the Niger State Government later imposed a curfew after the unrest. Governor Umar Bago confirmed the death toll and ordered a state-level inquiry. President Bola Tinubu has also directed a comprehensive investigation.
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