metro
Niger Miners’ Deaths: Families Demand Compensation, Justice for Victims
Niger Miners’ Deaths: Families Demand Compensation, Justice for Victims
Parents of artisanal miners who died in Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) custody in Niger State have demanded compensation for the families of the victims, as investigations continue into the deaths of 37 detainees.
The deaths occurred after the miners were arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining in Minna, with the incident sparking public concern and calls for accountability over the treatment of people held in government custody.
The bereaved families are seeking financial compensation as well as a thorough investigation to establish exactly what happened to their relatives and determine whether any individual or institution should be held responsible.
Among those who lost their lives were children and teenagers, according to accounts from relatives of some of the victims.
One of the affected parents, Musa Aliyu, said he lost two sons, Ibrahim, 17, and Abubakar, 12, following their arrest.
Aliyu said the two boys had gone to a mining site around the Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Housing Estate before the family learnt that they had been arrested by security personnel.
He said his wife went to the Civil Defence office after the boys failed to return home and was later informed that some of the detainees had died.
The family was subsequently directed to the General Hospital, Minna, where the bodies were taken.
Another bereaved father, Lawal Mohammad, said his 15-year-old son, Suleiman, was also among those who died.
Mohammad said he attempted to take food to his son after his arrest but was not allowed to see him. When the family returned to the NSCDC facility the following day, they were reportedly informed that he had died.
The parents have called for compensation and an investigation capable of providing clear answers about the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
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The incident followed enforcement operations conducted by NSCDC personnel in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16 as part of efforts to tackle suspected illegal mining activities.
The Niger State Government confirmed that 37 detainees died while in NSCDC custody and subsequently commenced an investigation into the incident.
One of the key issues being examined is the condition of the facility where the suspects were detained and whether the number of people held there exceeded its capacity.
There have also been differing accounts about the number of people detained during the operation, with authorities at one point reporting that about 67 suspects were being held.
The exact circumstances leading to the deaths remain under investigation.
An initial explanation from the NSCDC referred to a possible disease outbreak, but concerns have also been raised about the conditions inside the detention facility, including alleged overcrowding and inadequate ventilation.
Accounts attributed to survivors and other sources have raised additional allegations concerning the conditions experienced by detainees before the deaths. However, those allegations have not been established as the official cause of death.
Authorities are expected to rely on autopsies, medical examinations and forensic investigations to establish what caused the deaths.
The Niger State Government has also constituted a committee of inquiry chaired by Deputy Governor Yakubu Garba to investigate the incident and make recommendations.
The development has led to the suspension of the NSCDC Niger State Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, and other officials to allow investigations into the incident to proceed.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed that a full investigation be conducted into the deaths and that anyone found culpable should face appropriate legal consequences.
The Presidency said the investigation should establish the circumstances surrounding the arrests, the number of detainees, the conditions under which they were held, the medical attention provided to them and the events that preceded their deaths.
The President’s directive also underscores the obligation of security agencies to protect the lives and dignity of people in custody, regardless of the allegations for which they were arrested.
The deaths have heightened tension in Minna, with authorities taking measures to restore calm following reactions to the incident.
The controversy has also renewed concerns about the treatment of suspects in detention facilities and the need for security agencies to comply with established standards for the humane treatment of detainees.
For the affected families, the demand for compensation and accountability remains central to the aftermath of the tragedy.
They want the government to establish how the 37 detainees died, clarify the circumstances of their detention and ensure that any person found to have contributed to the deaths through unlawful conduct or negligence is held accountable.
As the investigations continue, the exact cause of death of the 37 miners has not been conclusively established.
Niger Miners’ Deaths: Families Demand Compensation, Justice for Victims
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metro
Gunmen Open Fire At Lagos Bus Stop, Kill NURTW Member, Injure Three
Gunmen Open Fire At Lagos Bus Stop, Kill NURTW Member, Injure Three
A member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), identified as Kamoru Omokoye, popularly known as Zobo, has been shot dead at Abijo Bus Stop in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State.
Omokoye was reportedly attacked around 9am on Sunday by two men who arrived at the bus stop in an unregistered Lexus RX 350 before opening fire on him.
A police source who confirmed the incident said the victim was shot in the head during the attack. The assailants reportedly sped away immediately after the shooting.
Omokoye was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Epe, for treatment but was pronounced dead by a doctor on duty.
Following the incident, detectives visited the scene and combed the area as part of efforts to identify and arrest those responsible for the Lagos bus stop shooting.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, also confirmed the incident, saying the command had commenced an investigation.
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While the police source described the attackers as suspected cultists, the exact motive for the killing has not been officially established.
An anti-cultism advocacy platform, Naija Confra, reported that Omokoye was sitting at a drinking spot near the bus stop when the attackers arrived and opened fire. The report said other people at the location fled as the gunmen shot at the gathering.
At least three other people were reportedly wounded in the shooting.
Omokoye was said to have previously worked around Awoyaya Bus Stop before moving to GRA Bus Stop. He was also reportedly the father of an eight-month-old child.
The latest incident has heightened concerns about violent attacks around transport corridors and public gathering points in parts of Lagos State, particularly where criminal or cult-related activities have previously been reported.
Police authorities have yet to announce any arrest in connection with the killing.
The investigation is expected to focus on identifying the attackers, establishing their motive and determining whether the killing was linked to a cult-related dispute, a transport-union conflict or another criminal motive.
Residents have also been urged to provide useful information to the police that could assist in identifying those responsible for the killing of the NURTW member.
Gunmen Open Fire At Lagos Bus Stop, Kill NURTW Member, Injure Three
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metro
Ondo Air Tragedy: Soldiers, Families Among 32 Killed In NAF Crash
Ondo Air Tragedy: Soldiers, Families Among 32 Killed In NAF Crash
A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft has crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, killing all 32 people on board, including military personnel, family members and seven crew members.
The aircraft, an ATR-42, was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members when it crashed into a swampy area opposite the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area, on Monday morning.
The aircraft was reportedly travelling from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos on a routine military mission when communication with air traffic controllers was lost at about 9:13 a.m.
Efforts to re-establish contact with the aircraft reportedly failed before the aircraft disappeared from radar. Its wreckage was later located in the difficult-to-access swamp near the naval facility.
The victims included Nigerian military personnel and members of their families, with reports indicating that some of the family members were children returning to school. The presence of family members on the flight has added to the grief surrounding the Ondo plane crash.
The crash site, located in a swampy and waterlogged area, posed significant challenges to rescuers and recovery teams. Military personnel, emergency responders and local residents were involved in efforts to reach the wreckage and recover the victims.
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa confirmed that no survivor had been found at the crash site. Responders reportedly recovered parts of the aircraft, military uniforms and identity cards from the area while efforts continued to retrieve the wreckage.
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The exact cause of the NAF aircraft crash remains unknown.
Early reports raised the possibility of adverse weather conditions, while another account suggested that the aircraft could have suffered a technical or mechanical problem. Neither explanation has been established as the cause of the crash, and officials have urged the public to await the outcome of the investigation.
The loss of communication between the aircraft and air traffic controllers is expected to form a major part of the investigation, alongside the aircraft’s maintenance history, technical condition, weather conditions, flight-control communications and data from the aircraft’s flight recorder.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a thorough investigation into the NAF plane crash, directing the Nigerian Air Force to establish what led to the tragedy.
Tinubu expressed condolences to the families of the victims and the Nigerian Armed Forces, describing the incident as a painful loss to the country.
The President also declared three days of national mourning for the Air Force personnel killed in the crash and directed that national flags be flown at half-mast across the country.
The Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has indicated its readiness to provide technical assistance to the military investigation if requested. Because the aircraft was operated by the military, the primary investigation is expected to be handled by the Nigerian Air Force.
Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft’s flight data, maintenance records and communication with air traffic control to determine what happened during the final stages of the flight.
The Nigerian Air Force is also expected to release the names of the deceased after completing the process of notifying their families.
The Ondo NAF crash is one of the deadliest recent military aviation accidents in Nigeria and has renewed concerns about the safety, maintenance and operational readiness of military aircraft.
For now, attention remains focused on the recovery of the victims, identification of those who died and the investigation that will determine how the aircraft carrying 32 people came down in the Ondo wetlands.
Ondo Air Tragedy: Soldiers, Families Among 32 Killed In NAF Crash
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metro
Court Orders NDLEA to Produce Enugu Airport Duty List in Abba Kyari Cocaine Trial
Court Orders NDLEA to Produce Enugu Airport Duty List in Abba Kyari Cocaine Trial
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to produce the duty roster of personnel deployed to Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on January 19, 2022—the day a cocaine consignment central to the Abba Kyari drug trial was intercepted. The ruling marks a significant development in a case that has drawn national attention and raised questions about airport security and inter-agency coordination in Nigeria’s fight against drug trafficking.
Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order on Monday during the continuation of the trial of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari and four other suspended officers of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT). The defendants are facing charges of alleged tampering with 21.35kg of cocaine and are standing trial on counts of conspiracy and obstruction in the illegal dealing and importation of the substance. They have all pleaded not guilty.
Julius Mba, counsel to Kyari and Inspector Simon Agirgba, told the court that the defence had filed a subpoena duces tecum—a legal order requiring a person or organisation to produce specific documents or evidence. The subpoena directs the NDLEA boss to present certified true copies of the duty roster for personnel deployed to the Enugu airport on the date in question. According to Mba, the document is essential to help the defence establish its case and demonstrate how the cocaine consignment allegedly passed through airport security.
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The court session also addressed the absence of the defence’s second witness, John Nwonke, who was expected to continue his testimony. Nwonke, who had been subpoenaed to appear, was not in court. His lawyers presented a letter dated October 2 stating that he was ill and unable to attend. The development prompted a sharp exchange between the defence and prosecution.
NDLEA counsel Joseph Sunday strongly opposed the adjournment request, urging the court to foreclose Nwonke’s evidence. He argued that the defence had failed to comply with an earlier order directing the witness to appear on Monday. Sunday also questioned the medical letter, noting that it did not disclose the nature of the illness or the hospital where Nwonke was receiving treatment. He told the court the prosecution was “not aware of any subpoena,” adding: “We don’t conduct trial by ambush.”
In his ruling, Justice Nwite declined to foreclose the witness’s evidence immediately. While he observed that Nwonke’s letter was not convincing enough to justify the adjournment, he adjourned the case until October 7, 2026, in the interest of justice. The judge warned that failure of the witness to appear on that date would lead to the foreclosure of his testimony. He also directed counsel to the first to fifth defendants to submit the names of witnesses they intend to call before the next hearing.
The trial had resumed after an indefinite adjournment in May due to Justice Nwite’s shortlisting for elevation to the Court of Appeal. The defence has been calling witnesses in an effort to establish that NDLEA operatives facilitated the passage of convicted drug traffickers through airport security. In a video played in court in March, convicts Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne alleged that their photographs were sent ahead to NDLEA officers at the airport to ensure they were cleared without proper screening. The testimony forms part of the defence’s broader argument that the defendants were not the architects of the alleged obstruction.
Kyari and his co-defendants—Sunday Ubua, Bawa James, Simon Agirgba, and John Nuhu—remain at the centre of one of the most closely watched corruption and drug trafficking trials in Nigeria’s recent history. The case has sparked widespread debate about accountability within Nigeria’s law enforcement agencies and the effectiveness of inter-agency cooperation in combating drug crime.
The case was adjourned to October 7, 2026, for further defence proceedings.
Court Orders NDLEA to Produce Enugu Airport Duty List in Abba Kyari Cocaine Trial
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