Breaking: NSCDC launches probe as 30 suspected illegal miners die in Commands custody in Niger

By Zagazola Makama

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has ordered an investigation into the deaths of several suspected illegal miners arrested during an enforcement operation in Niger State.

The suspects were apprehended on Sept. 15 and 16, 2026, during a joint operation targeting illegal mining activities around the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis of the state.

The NSCDC Niger State Command initially reported that scores of detainees were found dead in the early hours of Sept. 17 following what was described as a suspected disease outbreak.

The remains have since been evacuated to the General Hospital, Minna, where medical examinations are expected to determine the actual cause of death.

The development has generated concern among relatives of some of the detainees, with family members alleging that more than 30 people died while in custody.

However, the NSCDC has cautioned against attributing the deaths to any particular disease before medical and laboratory examinations are concluded.

In a statement issued by the Corps’ National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commandant of Corps Babawale Afolabi, the Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, directed the immediate constitution of a high-powered investigative team.

The team, headed by the Deputy Commandant General responsible for Intelligence and Investigation, is expected to establish what happened before and after the suspects were taken into custody.

Investigators are to examine the physical condition of the detainees at the point of arrest, the duration of their detention, conditions inside the facility, medical care provided to them and other circumstances that could have contributed to the deaths.

The Corps said it was also working with health authorities and other security agencies to implement appropriate medical and public-health measures.

It further directed that the health and welfare of suspects still in custody be given immediate priority, while personnel who may have come into contact with the affected detainees are also protected.

The NSCDC said the incident would be addressed strictly on the basis of verified medical and investigative findings.

The Corps also reiterated that its campaign against illegal mining would continue, stressing that the enforcement of the law must be carried out alongside respect for the dignity and fundamental rights of persons in custody.

The Commandant General expressed condolences to the families of those who died and assured them that the circumstances surrounding the incident would be thoroughly investigated.

The Corps appealed to the public to remain calm while the medical and investigative processes are concluded, promising to release further information as verified facts become available.

The incident has meanwhile raised questions about the health status and detention conditions of the arrested miners, with the pending medical examination expected to provide critical answers on what caused the deaths.

Breaking: NSCDC launches probe as 30 suspected illegal miners die in Commands custody in Niger

VP SHETTIMA CLARIFIES REMARKS ON NORTHERN GOVERNORS’ SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENT TINUBU

By: Our Reporter

The Office of the Vice President wishes to clarify remarks by Vice President Kashim Shettima concerning the support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu received from northern governors in the build-up to his emergence as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Vice President’s reference to six northern governors who believed in and supported President Tinubu was specifically about political consultations and alignments preceding the APC presidential primary in June 2022.

It was not a comment on the position of northern APC governors following President Tinubu’s emergence as the party’s candidate, nor was it intended to question their support during the 2023 presidential election.

Following the presidential primary, APC governors in the North rallied around the party’s candidate and played important roles in the campaign and electoral efforts that culminated in President Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 general election. Indeed, it is worthy of note that it was after the declaration of President Tinubu as winner of the 2023 presidential primaries that all other governors across the country rallied round and followed suit. That declaration by the northern governors hence became the aligning moment across all political divides in the quest for power shift.

VP Shettima holds the northern governors and other leaders of the APC in high regard and recognises their individual and collective contributions to the success of the party and the emergence of President Tinubu.

The Vice President regrets any interpretation of his remarks that may have suggested otherwise and hopes this clarification places the comments in their proper context.

VP Shettima also appreciates the Nigerian media for its longstanding professionalism and constructive engagement with his office and urges continued accuracy and context in the reporting of public remarks as the country approaches another political season.

VP SHETTIMA CLARIFIES REMARKS ON NORTHERN GOVERNORS’ SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENT TINUBU

Foreign Minister Warns Diplomats: Route All Official Business Through My Ministry

By: Michael Mike

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, on Wednesday warned foreign missions to stop bypassing her ministry to deal directly with the Presidency and other arms of government, declaring that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains the only official channel to the Nigerian government.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu issued the warning on Thursday at her first formal briefing with the Diplomatic Corps since assuming office as substantive Foreign Minister.

“This Ministry is your diplomatic home. My doors remain open,” she told ambassadors, high commissioners and international organisations, but added that official requests must be routed through the ministry to ensure coordination and institutional memory.

“Bypassing established channels risks conflicting information, duplication and avoidable misunderstandings. We are not an obstacle. We are your bridge to the Nigerian Government,” she said.

The Minister said Nigeria will pursue strategic autonomy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu — choosing its friends and positions strictly on national interest, mutual respect and reciprocity.

“Strategic autonomy does not mean isolation. It means preserving Nigeria’s sovereign right to determine relationships that best serve our people,” she declared.

She said Tinubu’s foreign policy is anchored on Four Ds — Demography, Development, Democracy and Diaspora — and described Nigeria’s posture as Nigeria-centered, Africa-conscious and globally engaged.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu announced a push to revive dormant Joint Commissions and Bi-National Commissions, insisting that diplomatic warmth must produce tangible results in trade, investment, security, education and technology.

She thanked foreign capitals for prompt Agrément for Nigeria’s ambassadorial nominees and pledged faster presentation of Letters of Credence for envoys in Abuja.

On consular frictions, she hit at prolonged visa delays for Nigerians.
“We respect every country’s sovereign right to determine its visa policy, but excessively long waiting periods create considerable difficulties for legitimate travellers, students, businesspersons and families,” she said, urging efficiency and transparency.

She reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment under the Vienna Conventions to protect diplomatic personnel and premises and urged missions to report security concerns promptly.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu said Nigeria remains open for trade, investment and technology partnership but insisted on sovereign equality and reciprocity, warning that no country can tackle terrorism, climate change, cyber insecurity and irregular migration alone.

She said Nigeria will stay active in ECOWAS, AU, UN and Commonwealth and continue to demand a stronger African voice in global decisions.

Foreign Minister Warns Diplomats: Route All Official Business Through My Ministry