NSCDC Calls for Probe, Accuses Police of Shielding Illegal Miners

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has accused members of the Nigeria Police Force of impeding its efforts to combat illegal mining in Nasarawa State, alleging that some officers are assisting suspects and obstructing investigations.
The Mining Marshals Commander, Attah John Onoja, filed the claim in a June 2, 2025 petition to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
Onoja said that officers from the Force Intelligence Department (FID), commanded by CSP Abdulmajeed Abisoye Oyewumi, not only shielded suspects from legal justice, but also endangered NSCDC members through harassment, illegal detentions, and even gunshots.

According to the lawsuit, the Mining Marshals, a specialist task squad under Operation Hayakin Kogo, captured several illegal miners in October 2024, including Ali Tanko and his Chinese friends.
He stated that the arrests were in response to a plea from Capital Apex Synergy Global Ltd., which owns lawful mining rights in Rafin Gabas, which is located in Nasarawa State’s Kokona LGA.

Onoja stated that the suspects admitted to operating without a mining license since 2021 and were later charged in the Federal High Court in Abuja in two cases: FHC/ABJ/CR/577/2024 and FHC/ABJ/CR/131/2025.

Nonetheless, the NSCDC maintains that its efforts to prosecute were hampered when police officers began interfering with investigations and dispatching policemen to the mine site.

“On April 3, 2025, four officers allegedly opened fire on the Mining Marshals. The cops were reportedly disarmed and given over to the police, along with their firearms,” he stated.

In light of what the NSCDC described as an attempted murder, Onoja stated that the Inspector General of Police did not investigate the shooting, which was reminiscent of a similar incident in February 2025, when police officers reportedly fired on NSCDC personnel protecting another illegal mining operation in Ondo State.

According to Onoja, on April 8, 2025, CSP Abdulmajeed and approximately 30 police officers returned to the Rafin Gabas site, where they allegedly attacked and detained four NSCDC members, confiscated their weapons and personal belongings, and attempted to coerce them into falsely implicating their commander.

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He also accused the Police of getting a restraining order from the Federal High Court through an ex parte application, making false charges against the NSCDC about unlawful mining and even homicide without giving a death certificate or any supporting evidence.

The Mining Marshals have filed a move to reverse the court order, calling it “fraudulently obtained” and alleging concealment of information and lack of jurisdiction.
The petition encourages the Senate Committee to hold a public hearing to investigate the Police’s activities and propose disciplinary steps, including sanctions against CSP Abdulmajeed.

It also asks legislative measures to prevent further disruptions to Mining Marshal activities across the country.

Onoja emphasized that the Police’s recent actions, notably an alleged threat by CSP Abdulmajeed to employ the military to attack the protected mining site, constitute a significant abuse of authority and could impede lawful prosecution attempts.

He stated that a video footage of the threat, as well as several annexures detailing interactions between the NSCDC, Police, Army, and legal representation, had been handed to the Senate.