NSCDC Mining Marshals Refute Participation in Fatal Minna Operation

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Mining Marshals have publicly denied any role in the operation that took place on 16 September at the M.I. Wushishi Housing Estate in Minna, Niger State. The incident, which has been linked to more than 30 fatalities, is currently under scrutiny by the Justice Mohammed Mohammed Commission of Inquiry.

Assistant Commandant of Corps John Onoja Attah, who heads the Mining Marshals, issued a statement from the NSCDC National Headquarters in Abuja asserting that the unit was not attached to any state command and that all deployments are directed from the national level. According to Attah, the suspended Niger State commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, had no legal authority to mobilise Mining Marshals personnel for the operation.

Aniviye had previously claimed to have visited the mining site on 15 September and to have ordered the deployment of the specialised unit ahead of the 16 September action. Attah described those claims as false and misleading, noting that the command structure of the Mining Marshals requires direct orders from the Commandant‑General in conjunction with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.

The denial comes amid ongoing investigations by the Justice Mohammed Mohammed Commission, which was established to examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths and the conduct of security forces involved. Attah said he only became aware of the incident after it was reported in the media and reiterated that accountability should be based on verified facts rather than unsubstantiated assertions.

Both the Punch and Legit.ng reports convey the same core information: the Mining Marshals operate exclusively under national command, the suspended state commandant lacked deployment authority, and the unit is not implicated in the fatal operation. No evidence has been presented to contradict the statements from the Mining Marshals' leadership, and the commission’s findings are pending.

The situation highlights tensions between state and federal security structures in Nigeria, particularly regarding the jurisdiction over specialised units such as the Mining Marshals. As the commission continues its inquiry, the focus remains on establishing the factual chain of command and determining responsibility for the loss of life at the Minna mining site.