The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has suspended the Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and 20 other officers over the deaths of 37 people in their custody.
The officers were suspended pending the conclusion of an independent investigation into the deaths that occurred on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
The Ministry of Interior announced the suspension in a statement signed by the minister on Saturday.
The statement said the suspension was in addition to the setting up of a 10-member independent committee to investigate the incident.
The statement added that, the committee is expected to establish the identities of the deceased and investigate their arrest, detention, as well as the cause and circumstances of their deaths.
The minister also directed the committee to determine responsibility, complicity, negligence and misconduct, and recommend appropriate action and compensation where applicable.
The Niger State Commandant of the NSCDC, Suberu Aniviye, had earlier been suspended.
The 20 other NSCDC officers suspended are:
O/C Station Guard, SC Usman Isah Ndamaka
Station Guard, ASCI Hassan Mohammed
Station Guard, CCA Bala Mohammed
Arresting Officer/O/C Investigation, CSC Oluwadare Sunday
Arresting Officer, DCC Obafemi Elvis
Arresting Officer, CSC Annas Shitto Lamino
HOD INT/INV, DCC Philip Ajayi
O/C Legal, ACC Barr. Stephen Tsado
Night Duty Officer, ASCI Alhassan Mohammed
Guard Duty, IC Abdullahi Sale
Guard Duty, IC Mohammed Sonfada
Guard Duty, CAI Liman Abubakar
Guard Duty, CAI Bala Usman
Guard Duty, IC Mohammed Jiya
Guard Duty, DSC Isah Suleiman
Guard Duty, CAI Ahmed Wushishi
Guard Duty, IC Sale Adamu
Guard Duty, IC Haruna Mohammed
Guard Duty, ASCI Aliyu Sallah
Guard Duty, CAI Isah Sanusi
