BREAKING: Nigerian Corps NSCDC Accuses Police Of Aiding Illegal Miners, Attempted Murder In Nasarawa, Petitions Senate

According to Attah, on April 3, police operatives from the Force Intelligence Department (FID) ambushed NSCDC officers guarding a mining site that was the subject of an ongoing prosecution for illegal mining. 

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has petitioned the Senate against the Nigeria Police Force over the alleged attempted murder of its personnel by police operatives aiding illegal mining activities in Nasarawa State. 

The petition, dated June 2, was addressed to the President of the Senate and signed by Commander of Mining Marshals, Attah John Onoja.

With Ref: NSCDC/NHQ/CG/MM/Vol.6/001/2025, the petition SaharaReporters obtained on Thursday is titled: "Complaint/Petition against the police for false allegations and deliberate obstruction of the prosecution of illegal miners arrested by the mining Marshals at Rafin Gabas Nasarawa State." 

According to Attah, on April 3, police operatives from the Force Intelligence Department (FID) ambushed NSCDC officers guarding a mining site that was the subject of an ongoing prosecution for illegal mining. 

The police operatives allegedly opened fire on the NSCDC officers, and despite the severity of the incident, which amounts to attempted murder, the police have failed to investigate or discipline those responsible.

The NSCDC claimed that the police operatives involved in the shooting were led by CSP Abdulmajeed and included Yarima Yunusa, Inspr. Hasuruna Lamshi, Inspr. Oliver Kutaya, and Raymond Ibrahim. Attah stated that the incident was part of a broader pattern of police interference aimed at derailing the prosecution of illegal mining activities in Kokona Local Government Area, Nasarawa State.

“Despite the shooting, which amounts to attempted murder, the police have failed to investigate or discipline those responsible,” Attah stated.

He said the incident was part of a broader pattern of police interference aimed at derailing the prosecution of illegal mining activities in Kokona Local Government Area, Nasarawa State. 

According to the petitioner, the site in question had been sealed by the NSCDC after the arrest of suspects, including Chinese nationals, in October 2024, while criminal charges had already been filed before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

The 13-page of 25 paragraphs petition which SaharaReporters obtained on Thursday evening, partly read: "I, Attah John Onoja, Commander of Mining Marshals, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, do hereby petition the Police to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, and humbly request that the Senate Committee intervenes in Police deliberate spreading of falsehood and obstruction of the prosecution of illegal miners that were arrested by the Mining Marshals at Rafin Gabas, within Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

"Following our receipt of a petition in September last year, from one Capital Apex Synergy Global Limited, alleging the presence of some illegal miners on its mineral title area in Rafin Gabas within Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, and following our preliminary investigations and findings that a report of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development had indicted the alleged miners, one Ali Tanko and his Chinese accomplices, the Mining Marshals arrested them on the 25th of October, 2024, and had them charged to Court, in view of their admission that they had been mining on the site since 2021 without license. Their Confessional Statements in this regard was signed under video, and in the presence of their legal practitioners.

"The Mining Marshals are currently on deployment to the locus criminis of the said arrest, to prevent anyone from tampering with evidence and exhibits on the site, pending the conclusion of Criminal trial in Charge Number FHC/ABJ/CR/577/2024 that was initially filed, and Charge Number FHC/ABJ/CR/131/2025 that was subsequently filed against additional defendants that were additionally arrested thereafter; both of which are currently pending before the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division.

"The arrest of illegal miners on the site by the Mining Marshals was sequel to our relating with Army authorities to withdraw soldiers from the site, which was promptly done on the 26th of March, 2025, following our notification of Army authorities that the mining activities on the site was illegal. 

"Subsequently, on the 26th of March, 2025, following our takeover as the Army pulled out, the Mining Marshals upon receipt of intelligence that an imminent attack on the team was being planned by some armed groups, we strategically pulled out of the site to reinforce more presence, so as to ward off the incidence of any such attacks.

"Surprisingly, however, when the Mining Marshals returned to the site on 3rd of April, 2025, we found that some policemen had been dispatched again to the site by one Abdulmajeed, a CSP heading Team N at the Force Intelligence Department (FID) in the Force Headquarters, Area 10, Garki, Abuja. The phone number of the said Police Officer was given as +2348054075004.

"And without giving any room for an amicable interaction on why they were on the site, as if they were acting on some instructions already given by the named CSP, the policemen swiftly opened fire on our men, following which they were disarmed, arrested and handed over to the Police along with their rifles."

Attah, however, accused the police of aiding illegal miners by forcibly taking control of the site and intimidating both NSCDC officers and officials of Capital Apex Synergy Global Limited, the company that originally petitioned the civil defence corps about the illegal operations.

NSCDC Commander further stated that after handing over the Policemen to the police authority, the police on April 8, 2025 launched retaliation on personnel securing the locus at Rafin Gabas to preserve evidence pending the determination of the cases in Court, with about 30 Policemen from Force Intelligence Department (FID), led by one CSP Abdulmajeed Abisoye Oyewumi, leader of Team N, with phone number +2348054075004, to assault operatives of the Mining Marshals on the site, and thereafter arrested them along with their rifles and personal valuables. 

He provided the names of the operatives of the Mining Marshals unlawfully arrested as: ASCII, Salihu Nda Mohammed; ASCII, Yusuf Attahiru; CAI, Sambi Amos Joel and CAIII, Mustapha Mohammed.

"For reasons best known to him following the unlawful arrest, CSP Abdulmajeed Abisoye Oyewumi viciously pressed the said operatives of the Mining Marshals without success, to indict or implicate me, their Commander."

"Prior to the development," he said "on the 4th of April, while the aforesaid Policemen were in our custody, we received a letter from the Police, notifying my office that the FID was investigating a case of homicide and illegal mining among others against Capital Apex Synergy Global Services Capital Apex Synergy Global Services Ltd, the Complainant in the case of illegal mining charged to Court, and whose mineral title is located by the locus criminis in Rafin Gabas. We suspected, on our receipt of this letter, that the Defendants were using the Police to fight back, but we never anticipated that the Police would use it as a springboard to launch avalanche of attacks against the Mining Marshals to obstruct prosecution."

Meanwhile, in a separate case cited in the petition, NSCDC officers deployed to a gold mining site in Lege community, Ondo State, were also allegedly attacked by police personnel in February 2025.

Attah urged the Senate to investigate the incidents and compel the police to respect due process, uphold the rule of law, and ensure that justice is not sabotaged in the fight against illegal mining. "Despite the shooting, which amounts to attempted murder, the police have failed to investigate or discipline those responsible," Attah stated.

 "We urge the Senate Committee to intervene in the police's deliberate spreading of falsehood and obstruction of the prosecution of illegal miners that were arrested by the Mining Marshals at Rafin Gabas, within Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State."

The NSCDC Commander further stated that the police's actions were a clear attempt to sabotage the fight against illegal mining and undermine the rule of law.