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), Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, following the alleged deaths of suspected illegal miners in the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis of Minna, the state capital.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Minister on Media and Publicity, Alao Babatunde, issued on Thursday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Thursday, following the arrest of the suspected illegal miners during enforcement operations conducted in parts of Niger State on September 15 and 16, 2026.

Announcing the suspension, Tunji-Ojo described the incident as unfortunate, declaring, “It is an unfortunate incident; however, a full-scale investigation will be conducted while the commandant under whose watch this happened remains suspended.”

He added that “we run a government whose ultimate priority is security of lives, and we have worked to stay true to this.”

The minister urged members of the public to maintain calm and remain law-abiding to allow for a transparent investigation process, while also commiserating with Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State and the families and relatives of the deceased.

In a separate statement on Friday morning, National Public Relations Officer of the Corps, ACC Babawale Afolabi, disclosed that the minister had directed the Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, to carry out a full-scale, transparent and unhindered investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the illegal miners in the custody of the Corps’ Niger State Command.

The statement said that in swift compliance with the minister’s directive, the Commandant General had ordered the Niger State Commandant to step aside with immediate effect and report forthwith to the National Headquarters, Abuja, alongside his Heads of Operations, Mining, Legal, Intelligence and Investigation, to face a constituted panel of inquiry. A new commandant has since been directed to proceed to Niger State to assume immediate command of the State Command.

The Corps assured the minister that no stone would be left unturned in the investigation, warning that any officer or personnel found to have acted contrary to the law, established procedures or professional standards would face appropriate administrative, disciplinary and, where applicable, criminal sanctions in accordance with extant laws and regulations.

The NSCDC reiterated its commitment to upholding the dignity, safety and fundamental rights of every person in its custody, stressing that the enforcement of its statutory mandate, including the fight against illegal mining and the protection of Nigeria’s critical national assets, would continue to be carried out in accordance with the law and established professional standards.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has commenced an investigation into the deaths of some suspected illegal miners arrested during enforcement operations in Niger State.

The suspects were arrested during coordinated operations conducted by the Niger State Command in the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis on September 15 and 16, 2026, as part of efforts to curb illegal mining activities in the state.

The development followed reports that no fewer than 33 suspected illegal miners were feared dead after being detained at an NSCDC facility in Minna.

The deaths were reportedly discovered in the early hours of Thursday, with the Niger State Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, attributing them to a suspected outbreak of disease.

However, the NSCDC National Headquarters said the cause of the deaths had yet to be established, stressing that reports linking them to any specific disease remained subject to medical and laboratory confirmation.

In a statement on Thursday, the Corps’ National Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, said the Commandant General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, had directed the constitution of a high-powered investigative team to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Afolabi said the team, to be led by the Deputy Commandant General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation, had been mandated to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the incident.

According to him, the investigation would cover the condition of the suspects upon arrest, their period in custody, the conditions of detention, medical attention provided to them and other circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The statement partly read, “NSCDC has confirmed the death of some suspected illegal miners who were arrested during enforcement operations conducted in parts of Niger State on September 15 and 16, 2026.

“Following the development, the Commandant General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has directed the constitution of a high-powered investigative team, led by the Deputy Commandant General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation, to immediately look into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“The team has been mandated to undertake a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances leading to the deaths, including the condition of the suspects upon arrest, their period in custody, the conditions of detention, medical attention provided, and other relevant circumstances surrounding the incident.”

Afolabi also directed that the health and welfare of all persons currently in custody be prioritised, while measures were being taken to protect personnel who might have had contact with the affected persons.

The Corps expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and assured them that the circumstances surrounding the incident would be thoroughly investigated and appropriately addressed based on established facts.

Afolabi added, “The NSCDC wishes to clarify that reports attributing the deaths to any specific disease remain subject to medical and laboratory confirmation. The Corps will therefore refrain from speculation until the outcome of the medical examination is established.

“The Corps extends its condolences to the families of the deceased and assures them that the circumstances surrounding the incident will be thoroughly investigated and appropriately addressed based on established facts.”

A popular Enugu State politician, Prince Ikechukwu Oloto, also known as Okanga Moo, has reportedly been killed by unknown gunmen in Nsukka Local Government Area of the state.

Oloto was allegedly attacked at his residence in the Odenigbo area of Nsukka on Thursday evening.

The attackers reportedly invaded the politician’s home and killed him during the incident.

The reports also alleged that a knife was used in the attack.

Details surrounding the killing remain unclear, as the circumstances that led to the incident have not been fully established.

The identities of the attackers and their motive were also unknown as of the time of filing the report.

The death was also reported by social media influencer, Sen. Chijinkem Ugwuanyi, in a Facebook post.

Ugwuanyi said the politician was killed at his residence in Odenigbo, Nsukka.

The reported killing comes as political activities and preparations for the 2027 general elections continue to gather momentum across the country.

However, it was not immediately clear whether the incident was connected to Oloto’s political activities.

By press time, the Enugu State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement confirming the killing or providing details of any investigation into the incident.