The Mining Marshals have denied involvement within the September 16 safety operation at M.I. Wushishi Housing Estate in Minna, Niger State, difficult claims by the state’s suspended Civil Defence commandant that he deployed the specialised unit to the positioning.
The Commander of the Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant of Corps (ACC) John Onoja Attah, mentioned no personnel from the unit took half within the operation, which is below investigation by the Justice Mohammed Mohammed Commission of Inquiry.
In an announcement issued by his workplace on the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) National Headquarters in Abuja, Attah described remarks attributed to the suspended Niger State Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, in a Daily Post report revealed on October 16, 2026, as false and deceptive.
Aniviye was quoted as saying he visited the mining web site on September 15 earlier than deploying Mining Marshals to the realm.
However, Attah mentioned the suspended commandant lacked the authority to deploy the unit, insisting that its personnel operated below a separate command construction managed by the NSCDC National Headquarters.
“No Mining Marshals operative is attached to the Niger State Command or to any State Command of the Corps for that matter,” he mentioned.
Attah defined that the unit operated below the direct command and management of the NSCDC Commandant-General, in collaboration with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.
He added that the Commandant-General had publicly acknowledged that the Mining Marshals weren’t concerned within the operation. At the identical time, he, because the unit’s commander, was unaware of it till studies of the incident emerged.
“Our operational records confirm that at no time were Mining Marshals personnel deployed or involved in the said operation,” Attah mentioned.
He cautioned in opposition to linking the unit to the deaths reportedly related to the operation, saying verifiable information and proof ought to decide its involvement.
The commander additionally defended the unit’s conduct, saying its enforcement actions below the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007, had been guided by the legislation and established guidelines of engagement.
According to him, the Mining Marshals had maintained skilled requirements since their institution, including that the unit had no file of human rights violations in its operations nationwide and no pending Fundamental Human Rights Enforcement swimsuit in any Nigerian court docket.
Attah attributed the unit’s operational procedures to the management of NSCDC Commandant-General Ahmed Abubakar Audi and the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake.
He mentioned the Mining Marshals remained dedicated to tackling unlawful mining and wouldn’t be distracted by studies he thought of inaccurate.
Attah additionally urged media organisations to confirm details about the unit’s operations with its National Headquarters.
The fee of inquiry is investigating the circumstances surrounding the September 16 operation and the deaths linked to the incident. The findings are anticipated to determine who authorised and took part within the operation and decide duty primarily based on the proof.
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