The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has said 24 personnel linked to the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in its custody in Niger State will remain in protective detention for two weeks pending the conclusion of the Federal Government’s independent investigation.
In an interview with BusinessDay on Friday, the NSCDC National Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, explained that the affected personnel would remain available to the 10-member investigative committee constituted by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
The committee was given two weeks to look into the circumstances surrounding the deaths and submit its report to the Ministry of Interior.
Afolabi said the decision to keep the personnel in custody aimed to prevent possible interference with the investigation and ensure that all those linked to the incident remained available to investigators.
“They’ll be in custody,” he said when asked whether the officers would remain detained throughout the committee’s two-week investigation.
He explained that the detention was being treated as “protective detention” rather than ordinary criminal detention.
“This one is quite different. It’s a presidential order. We can’t leave them. They’re under a kind of protective detention, so they cannot go anywhere,” Afolabi said.
The NSCDC had earlier announced that personnel of its Niger State Command linked to the incident were moved to its national headquarters in Abuja on September 17, where they have been undergoing interrogation and administrative disciplinary procedures.
The development followed the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who were arrested and detained by NSCDC personnel in Niger State between September 15 and 16.
Afolabi said three additional personnel had since been identified and suspended, bringing the number of affected officers and men in custody to 24.
He said they detained them to make them available to the presidential investigative committee and other panels for further investigation and possible prosecution.
“In a swift and decisive joint operation conducted in conjunction with the Commandant General’s Special Investigation Squad, all officers and men of the Niger State Command linked to the gross misconduct have since, on the 17th September 2026, been taken into protective custody at the National Headquarters, Abuja, where they are undergoing rigorous interrogation and administrative disciplinary action, to make them available for the Presidential Independent Investigation Committee and other investigation panels for further investigation and possible prosecution,” he said.
Listed among the affected personnel are the suspended Niger State Commandant, Ajayi Philips; Subaru Aniviye; John Agrahau Chagwa, Head of Intelligence and Investigation; Obafemi Elvis; Stephen Tsado, Head of Operations; Oluwadare Sunday, Head of Legal; Annas Shittu Lamino; SC Usman Isah Ndamaka; and DSC Aminu Sule Garba.
Others are Musa Marafa, Isah Sulaiman, Hassan Muhammad, Alhassan Muhammad, Aliyu Sallah, who was reportedly on guard duty; Abdullahi Sale; Mohammed Sonfada; Mohammed Jiya; Sale Adamu; Haruna Muhammed; CCA Baba Muhamma; Isah Sanusi; CAI Liman Abubakar; Bala Usman and Ahmed Wushishi.
