The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has ordered the immediate suspension of the Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) alongside 20 other personnel following the tragic deaths of 37 individuals held in custody.
The directive was announced on Saturday through an official statement signed by the minister. The disciplinary action remains in effect pending the outcome of a newly constituted 10-member independent investigative panel set up to probe the September 17 incident.
Federal government sets up 10-member panel to investigate custody deaths
The newly formed committee has been tasked with identifying all 37 victims, examining the circumstances surrounding their initial arrest and detention, and determining the exact cause of death.
Additionally, the panel will pinpoint acts of negligence, complicity, or official misconduct among the personnel involved, while making recommendations for sanctions and financial compensation for the families of the deceased.
President Bola Tinubu has also instructed federal authorities to ensure a transparent and thorough inquiry into the tragedy.
Complete list of suspended NSCDC personnel in Niger State
The suspension affects the top command and operational staff attached to the Niger State command, starting with Commandant Suberu Aniviye.
The full list of the 20 additional officers suspended includes:
SC Usman Isah Ndamaka (O/C Station Guard)
ASCI Hassan Mohammed (Station Guard)
CCA Bala Mohammed (Station Guard)
CSC Oluwadare Sunday (Arresting Officer / O/C Investigation)
DCC Obafemi Elvis (Arresting Officer)
CSC Annas Shitto Lamino (Arresting Officer)
DCC Philip Ajayi (HOD INT/INV)
ACC Barr. Stephen Tsado (O/C Legal)
ASCI Alhassan Mohammed (Night Duty Officer)
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 (Guard Duty)
Conflicting accounts emerge over cause of detainee deaths in Minna
The deceased were among dozens of suspects apprehended during crackdowns on suspected illegal mining sites in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas on September 15 and 16. Equipment and related exhibits were seized during the operations.
Following the arrests, several detainees died inside the NSCDC holding facility in Minna. Initial claims by the Corps attributed the fatalities to a sudden medical outbreak, adding that the remains were transferred to the General Hospital, Minna, for post-mortem analysis.
However, accounts from survivors tell a different story:
One survivor, Dauda Shehu, reported that detainees were packed into severe, poorly ventilated cells with extremely limited airflow.
Another survivor alleged that a substance resembling perfume or aerosol was sprayed directly into an overcrowded room, causing multiple individuals to collapse shortly after.
Protests and curfew hit Minna as state launches parallel inquiry
The deaths sparked public outrage and civil unrest across Minna, prompting Governor Umar Bago to establish a state-level panel of inquiry and enforce a temporary curfew to restore public order.
Investigations by both state and federal panels are currently ongoing to determine the definitive cause of the fatalities.
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