The Nigeria Safety and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has accused the Nigeria Police Drive of protecting unlawful miners and launching violent assaults on its operatives to frustrate ongoing prosecutions in Nasarawa State.
In a petition submitted to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Commander of the NSCDC Mining Marshals, John Onoja Attah, alleged that law enforcement officials from the Drive Intelligence Division (FID) have been obstructing justice by aiding suspects, harassing civil defence officers, and opening hearth on them within the line of responsibility.
In response to Attah, his unit, appearing on a petition from Capital Apex Synergy World Restricted, arrested one Ali Tanko and a gaggle of Chinese language nationals on October 25, 2024, at a mining website in Rafin Gabas, Kokona Native Authorities Space, for working with out legitimate mining licences.
He mentioned the suspects confessed to working an unlawful mining operation since 2021. Their statements had been recorded within the presence of authorized representatives and documented on video.
The NSCDC subsequently filed two felony prices — FHC/ABJ/CR/577/2024 and FHC/ABJ/CR/131/2025 — on the Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja.
He mentioned to protect the location and safeguard proof, NSCDC officers had been deployed to safe the placement.
He, nevertheless, mentioned following the army’s withdrawal from the realm on March 26, 2025, police operatives took management of the location and started obstructing NSCDC personnel.
On April 3, 2025, when civil defence officers returned to the location, Attah mentioned they had been ambushed and shot at by police operatives.
He mentioned 4 officers; Yarima Yunusa, Insp. Hasuruna Lamshi, Insp. Oliver Kutaya and Raymond Ibrahim had been disarmed and detained by the police, but no disciplinary motion has been taken.
“This was not a random act. The police are actively attempting to sabotage the prosecution and protect these chargeable for unlawful mining,” Attah mentioned.
He additionally cited an analogous assault on February 12, 2025, in Lege neighborhood, Ondo State, the place police allegedly opened hearth on NSCDC operatives throughout one other operation in opposition to unlawful mining actions.
He added that on April 8, 2025, CSP Abdulmajeed of the FID allegedly led about 30 armed officers to the Rafin Gabas website, the place 4 NSCDC operatives; ASCII Salihu Nda Mohammed, ASCII Yusuf Attahiru, CAI Sambi Amos Joel, and CAIII Mustapha Mohammed had been assaulted and arrested.
Attah alleged that the officers had been coerced into implicating him, however they refused. He added that the police have since been investigating the petitioners — Capital Apex Synergy — and issuing invites to undermine the NSCDC’s authorized case.
He mentioned he was shocked to study that the police obtained a courtroom order barring NSCDC entry to the location, successfully halting efforts to safe proof and proceed prosecution.
“This can be a calculated effort to guard unlawful miners and derail justice,” Attah acknowledged.