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The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has suspended the Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) alongside 20 other officers following the tragic deaths of 37 individuals while in the Corps’ custody.
The suspension remains in effect pending the outcome of an independent investigation into the incident, which occurred on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
The Ministry of Interior confirmed the action in an official statement signed by the Minister on Saturday, disclosing that a 10-member independent committee has been constituted to probe the situation.
According to the statement, the panel is tasked with verifying the identities of the deceased, examining the circumstances surrounding their arrest and detention, and determining the precise cause of death. The minister further mandated the committee to fix responsibility, identify complicity or misconduct, and suggest appropriate disciplinary measures and compensation where necessary.
The suspended officers include the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, and 20 additional personnel:
- 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
The 37 victims were part of a group of suspected illegal miners apprehended during enforcement sweeps conducted by the NSCDC in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto districts on September 15 and 16. T
he Corps maintained that the operation aimed to curb unlawful mining and led to the recovery of several exhibits.
However, on the following day, several detainees were discovered dead inside the NSCDC holding facility in Minna.
While initial claims by the NSCDC suggested a potential disease outbreak—noting that the bodies were transferred to the General Hospital, Minna, for post-mortem examinations—the exact cause of death has yet to be officially confirmed.
A survivor, Dauda Shehu, informed reporters that the suspects were kept in an unventilated, congested cell where they struggled for air. Another survivor alleged that an unknown substance resembling perfume was sprayed into the overcrowded cell shortly before detainees began collapsing.
The incident triggered public outrage and protests in Minna, prompting the Niger State Government to declare a curfew to restore order. Governor Umar Bago confirmed the casualty count and instituted a state-level inquiry, while President Bola Tinubu ordered a full-scale federal investigation into the tragedy.
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