The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has detained three additional personnel over the deaths of suspected illegal miners in Niger State, bringing the number of officers in custody to 24.
The NSCDC spokesperson, Assistant Commandant of Corps Babawale Afolabi, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.
The Corps had earlier announced the detention of 21 personnel following the deaths of the miners while in NSCDC custody in Niger State.
Afolabi said the three newly identified personnel had also been suspended in connection with the incident, adding that all affected officers from the Niger State Command had been transferred to the NSCDC headquarters in Abuja for interrogation and administrative disciplinary proceedings.
He said the personnel would also be made available to the Presidential Independent Investigation Committee and other panels investigating the incident for further questioning and possible prosecution.
According to the spokesman, the officers linked to the incident had been placed in protective custody at the national headquarters since September 17, 2026, as part of measures to facilitate investigations into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The latest development came a day after the Federal Government inaugurated a 10-member independent committee to investigate the deaths.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had announced the committee on Saturday following President Bola Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive and transparent investigation into the incident, which occurred on September 17.
The NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Audi, said the Corps would ensure due process and accountability throughout the investigation, stressing that personnel found culpable would face appropriate disciplinary measures and legal consequences.
Audi said, “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.”
Meanwhile, the NSCDC directed that its flag be flown at half-mast across all formations for three days from Sunday in honour of those who died.
Among the personnel being held are the suspended Niger State Commandant, Commandant Subaru Siyaka Aniviye; Ajayi Philips, Head of Intelligence and Investigation; John Agrahau Chagwa, Head of Operations; Obafemi Elvis; Stephen Tsado, Officer-in-Charge of Legal; and other personnel.
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The Federal Government’s 10-member committee is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and determine the responsibilities of individuals or institutions found to have played a role in the incident.
