In Abuja, the Coalition of Civil Societies for Transparency and Accountability (COSTA) has condemned a call to terminate the tenure of Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, the Commandant‑General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in Minna, Niger State.
The tragedy occurred during NSCDC operations on 15 and 16 September 2026 near the Lt. Gen. Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Housing Estate in Minna, when 37 suspects died while in custody. According to the Corps, more than 50 people were arrested and were still being profiled and documented before the fatal incident.
“We wish to state unequivocally that the call is not only untimely and mischievous, but amounts to an unnecessary distraction from the substantive issue,” the group’s National Coordinator, Comrade Bilal Galadima, said in a statement. “We sincerely sympathise with the families affected in the unfortunate incident where 37 persons suspected of illegal mining lost their lives while in NSCDC custody in Minna, Niger State.”
COSTA noted that the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, was suspended by the Federal Government and that a 10‑member independent committee has been constituted to investigate the circumstances. The investigations have been ordered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Interior Minister Dr. Olubunmi Tunji‑Ojo.
The civil society group criticised lawyer and human‑rights activist Hamza Dantani for calling for the dismissal of the NSCDC boss, arguing that the request was “mischievous” and a distraction from the ongoing investigations. COSTA questioned Dantani’s absence during other military incidents, such as the 85 civilian deaths in Tudun Biri, Kaduna State, and the 16 civilian deaths in Zamfara State, and urged Nigerians to allow the rule of law to proceed.
Finally, COSTA urged all government agencies and organs to remain calm and to await the report of the probe committee set up by the Federal Government.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
