The death of 37 detainees in the Nigeria Security  and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) detention facility in Minna, Niger State, is not a mere operational accident. It is a failure of leadership, and leadership must take responsibility.

Those who met their untimely deaths were suspected illegal miners – mostly young men, arrested during operations on September 15 and 16, 2026, around M.

I. Wushishi / Lukoto axis. In less than 24 hours, on the morning of September 17, 37 out of the 67 arrested suspects were found stone dead inside the NSCDC custody. Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago confirmed it: _”This morning we woke up to the news that about 37 persons died in the custody of the civil defence here in Minna. It’s so sad, it’s so tragic.”_

In a swift reaction, the Federal Government announced the suspension of the Niger State Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye. Additionally, 20 other personnels were also suspended. That is not accountability. That is scapegoating.

The Commandant-General, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi was first appointed on February 18, 2021, by former President Muhammadu Buhari. On February 27, 2026, President Bola Tinubu renewed his tenure for another five years.

He has led the Corps for over five years. It means he had five years to reform detention procedures, build proper cells, train personnel on human rights and custody management. That is why it is unpardonable that for all these years, 67 men would be crammed into a single cell with no ventilation, according to a survivor’s accounts.

If after five years and a fresh mandate, the Corps still operates a cell that kills 37 Nigerians in one night, there is no likelihood of any innovation that Audi will usher in another tenure of five years.

It is very clear that the gruesome death of the 47 suspects is due to the failure of command responsibility. The Commandant General cannot lead for five years and claim ignorance of detention facilities and how detainees are kept. Consequently, he should take the route of global best practice, which dictates that heads of agencies resign when mass deaths occur in custody. The suspension of a state commandant does not erase the culpability of the national command that posted him.

There is a laughable dimension as the Niger Command has blamed the deaths to a “disease outbreak.” But a survivor told the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who was on a condolence visit that a substance was sprayed by one of the NSCDC personnel, causing them to start sneezing and coughing.

“When they brought us into the cell, they sprayed something and locked us up. It was after that we started coughing and sneezing, but we did not know what they sprayed.” He told the Minister.

There was yet another blame that pointed to overcrowding and suffocation, _”there was no ventilation, everywhere became stuffy, people started collapsing one after another.”_

There is also a very shameful angle of bribery to the bizarre incident. Families of the deceased said their wards were healthy a day earlier when they brought them food. A mother alleged the NSCDC officials demanded N100,000 to release her detained son.

Whether true or not, this points to a detention system that has become transactional. This is a system failure that can only be cured by new leadership.

With all the contradictory stories, with 37 bodies in different decomposing states, a few hours after death, the top leadership has lost credibility to lead an investigation.

In order to allow for a credible investigation, the man who controls all records, all personnel, and all detention facilities should immediately give way. He cannot on moral grounds supervise his own probe.

The NSCDC’s job is to protect lives. And when 37 unarmed citizens die in what ought to be protective custody pending investigations and prosecution, the security outfit has lost the moral authority to protect anyone. Therefore, the protests that erupted in Minna, with properties worth billions of Naira destroyed, are enough proof that public trust is broken.

Audi had a chance to reform the Corps in his first term. He was given a second chance in February 2026. And the tragedy came six months into the second chance, leading to a conjecture as to whether he brought anything new or not. As it now stands, the best option is for him to tow the path of resignation. After all, resignation is not a sign of guilt — it is a sign of honour.

The Cross River Police Command and the University of Cross River State (UniCross) have resolved to deepen their collaboration to strengthen campus security and tackle cultism and other emerging threats.

The Command’s Spokesman, Sunday Eitokpah, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Calabar on Monday.

According to him, the resolution followed a strategic security meeting between the Commissioner of Police, Ajo Ordue, and the Vice-Chancellor of UniCross, Prof.

Francisca Bassey, at the command headquarters.

Eitokpah said the meeting was aimed at reviewing and strengthening the security architecture around the university, with particular attention to the safety of students, staff and other members of the academic community.

He quoted Ordue as assuring the university management of increased police visibility and security presence within and around its campuses.

The commissioner said the deployment would be driven by intelligence gathering, information sharing, and rapid response to security threats.

He also called for stronger coordination between the police and the university’s internal security structures to ensure early identification and prevention of criminal activities.

Ordue urged students and staff to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements, cult-related activities, recruitment attempts, and other security concerns to the appropriate authorities.

He said the command would further strengthen the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) programme within the university as part of efforts to prevent cultism and other forms of youth-related criminality.

The commissioner said sustained engagement with students and other members of the university community remained critical to preventing crime and maintaining peace on campus.

Responding, Bassey commended the command for its continued partnership with the university and its efforts to strengthen security around the institution.

She pledged the university’s continued cooperation with the police, saying closer collaboration was necessary to effectively confront cultism and other emerging security challenges.

The vice-chancellor called for further strengthening of the partnership between the two institutions to safeguard lives and property and create an environment conducive to teaching, learning and research.

The commissioner reaffirmed the command’s commitment to working with the university and other stakeholders to ensure a safe and secure academic environment.

He said effective campus security remained a shared responsibility requiring constant vigilance, timely information and sustained collaboration.(NAN)

From Agbo Emmanuel, Kaduna

Suspected bandits have launched a fresh wave of attacks across parts of Kaduna State, killing at least five people, including three personnel of the Kaduna State Vigilance Service (KADVS), and abducting 27 residents in separate incidents in Giwa and Kubau Local Government Areas.

The attacks, which occurred between Saturday and Monday, also involved cattle rustling in communities in Giwa, further heightening security concerns across the affected areas.

According to the KADVS Public Relations Officer, Yunusa Shehu, two residents, identified as Alhaji Surajo and Alhaji Ado, were killed when bandits attacked Tunburku in Kidandan District in the early hours of Monday.

In a near-simultaneous attack on Tudun Amada in Kadage District, 26 residents were reportedly abducted, while another resident, Ayyuba Usman, sustained injuries.

Shehu said the attacks occurred at about 12:30 a.m. on Monday, with the assailants targeting the two communities in Giwa Local Government Area.

The bandits also invaded Kura in Danmahawayi District at about 9 p.m. on Saturday and rustled cattle belonging to residents. The number of animals initially reported stolen was put at between 15 and 17, although authorities said efforts were ongoing to establish the exact figure.

Another cattle-rustling incident was reported at Kallon Kura, also in Danmahawayi District, where the attackers fled after security personnel mobilised to the area.

Following intelligence on the movement of the bandits and the stolen cattle, KADVS personnel reportedly engaged them in a gun battle, forcing the attackers to abandon the animals and retreat.

A security source said 19 cattle were subsequently recovered at about midnight on Saturday, September 5. The operation was conducted under the supervision of the KADVS Sector Coordinator in Giwa, who led the personnel during the recovery exercise.

Meanwhile, tragedy struck in neighbouring Kubau Local Government Area, where three KADVS personnel were killed along the Zaria-Pambegua axis.

The slain personnel were identified as Dallami Dantani, the Second-in-Command of KADVS in Kubau; Abdullahi Hamisu; and Zakariyya Musa.

KADVS spokesman Yunusa Ibrahim said the personnel were conducting routine security checks when they attempted to stop a red Volkswagen Golf Salon. The driver allegedly refused to stop, prompting the officers to pursue the vehicle in an official patrol van.

The suspects reportedly opened fire during the pursuit, killing Dantani before turning back towards the KADVS office, where Hamisu and Musa were also fatally shot. The attackers subsequently fled towards Zaria.

Barely hours later, suspected bandits invaded the residence of Sanusi, younger brother of Alhaji Shehu Pambegua, a member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly representing Kubau Constituency.

Ibrahim said the attackers arrived in a Sharon vehicle and abducted Sanusi at about 10 p.m. on Monday.

Reacting to the deaths, the Kaduna State Commander of KADVS, CP Ali Audu (rtd.), described the loss of the personnel as painful and commiserated with their families.

Audu commended the deceased officers for their courage and dedication to duty, assuring their families that their sacrifices would not be forgotten.

He said security personnel had intensified surveillance in Pambegua and neighbouring communities, while efforts were underway to rescue the abducted victim and arrest those responsible.

The KADVS commander also urged personnel to remain vigilant and strengthen collaboration with other security agencies to safeguard vulnerable communities across the state.

When contacted, Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansur Hassan, said he would provide further clarification after obtaining details of the incidents. However, he had not responded as of the time of filing the report.