The Coalition of Civil Societies for Transparency and Accountability (COCSTA) has criticized calls for the removal of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Commandant-General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in NSCDC custody in Minna, Niger State. COCSTA described the demand as "misguided, untimely and an unnecessary distraction" from investigations into the incident. The group said the priority should be to allow investigations to establish what happened and determine those responsible.
The incident occurred after the arrest of over 50 persons suspected of illegal mining activities during operations conducted on September 15 and 16, 2026, in Minna. According to COCSTA, the NSCDC spokesman, Babawale Afolabi, explained that the suspects had not been charged because profiling and documentation were still ongoing when the incident occurred. The Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, indicated that he did not inform the Commandant-General about the arrests, which COCSTA said is relevant to determining responsibility for the incident.
COCSTA noted that the Federal Government had suspended Aniviye and set up a 10-member independent committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The group urged Nigerians and relevant government agencies to await the outcome of the investigation, stressing that anyone found culpable should face the law. COCSTA also questioned the selective nature of the demand for Audi's removal, citing previous incidents involving civilian deaths during military operations and the #EndSARS protests.
The group asked why similar demands for the removal of service chiefs were not made in cases of civilian deaths from military airstrikes in Zamfara, Sokoto, and Borno states. COCSTA also referred to killings and alleged brutality recorded during the #EndSARS protests, saying it assumed that lawyer Hamza N. Dantani, who called for Audi's removal, was in Nigeria at the time but did not demand the dismissal of the then Inspector-General of Police.
COCSTA noted that the NSCDC operates an established command structure involving state commandants, deputy commandant-generals, assistant commandant-generals, and specialized units, including the Mining Marshals. The group maintained that this structure makes it necessary to distinguish between operational decisions taken at the state level and the responsibilities of the Corps' national leadership.
The coalition urged the government and relevant agencies to allow the independent committee to complete its work, stressing that responsibility should be established on the basis of evidence. COCSTA said that whoever is found culpable should face the full wrath of the law. The group also sympathized with the families of the victims.
COCSTA's National Coordinator, Comrade Bilal Galadima, signed the statement in Abuja, emphasizing the need for the rule of law to take its full course as the group awaits the outcome of the investigations into the incident. The Federal Government has taken steps to investigate the incident, and COCSTA has called for a thorough and transparent investigation.
Key points
- COCSTA criticizes calls for NSCDC CG Audi's sack over miners' deaths
- Federal Government sets up independent committee to investigate incident
- COCSTA questions selective nature of demand for Audi's removal
