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Minna Miners’ Deaths: NSCDC Mining Marshals Break Silence, Deny Involvement.
The Mining Marshals of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have denied involvement in the September 16 operation at M.I. Wushishi Housing Estate in Minna, Niger State, where several people reportedly died.The specialised unit maintained that the suspended Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, had no authority to deploy its personnel for any operation.
The Commander of the Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant of Corps John Onoja Attah, made the clarification in a statement issued on Saturday, describing claims attributed to Aniviye as false and misleading.
The suspended commandant had reportedly said he visited the mining site on September 15 before deploying Mining Marshals personnel to the location.
The clarification comes as a Commission of Inquiry led by Justice Mohammed Mohammed continues investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and the actions of the security operatives involved.
However, Attah argued that Aniviye’s account misrepresented the command structure and operational jurisdiction of the Mining Marshals.
He explained that personnel of the specialised unit were not attached to state commands but operated under the direct supervision of 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,” Attah stated.
According to him, the unit operates exclusively under the command, control and operational directives of the NSCDC Commandant-General, in collaboration with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.
He stressed that state commandants lacked the authority to deploy Mining Marshals personnel on assignments.
Attah further noted that the NSCDC Commandant-General had repeatedly stated publicly that the specialised unit was not involved in the operation.
The commander said he only became aware of the incident after reports emerged, insisting that allegations linking the Mining Marshals to the operation were untrue and inconsistent with the unit’s established chain of command.
He added that the unit’s operational records showed that none of its personnel participated in the exercise.
“Our operational records confirm that at no time were Mining Marshals personnel deployed or involved in the said operation,” he said, warning against attempts to associate the unit with the deaths currently under investigation.
Attah also defended the conduct of the Mining Marshals, stating that their enforcement activities under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007, had been carried out professionally and in accordance with the law.
He maintained that the unit had consistently adhered to its rules of engagement since its establishment, adding that it had no record of human rights violations nationwide or any pending fundamental rights enforcement case against it in court.
The commander attributed the unit’s operational discipline to the standard operating procedures introduced under the leadership of NSCDC Commandant-General, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, and the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake.
He reaffirmed the Mining Marshals’ commitment to addressing illegal activities in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, insisting that misleading reports would not distract the unit from its responsibilities.
Attah also urged journalists to verify information concerning the unit’s operations through its national headquarters, emphasising the importance of responsible reporting on security agencies, particularly in cases involving deaths in custody.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The camp of Seyi Makinde, the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), has predicted that President Bola Tinubu could lose in 12 states during the 2027 presidential election.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The group attributed its prediction to what it described as growing public dissatisfaction over economic hardship under the Tinubu administration, arguing that the situation could undermine the President’s re-election chances.
It also included the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) among the areas where it believes Makinde could defeat Tinubu, despite reports of the President’s planned visits to some of the affected states ahead of the election.
Naija News reports that the APM camp stated its position in a statement released on Saturday by its Director of Strategic Communications, Richard Ihediwa.
The group identified Rivers, Oyo, Kaduna, Plateau, Borno, Enugu, Bauchi, Sokoto, Delta, Kano, Adamawa and Lagos as the 12 states where it expects Tinubu to suffer electoral losses.
According to the group, the President’s planned visits to these states would not necessarily change voters’ decisions or prevent them from voting against his re-election.
The APM camp blamed the alleged growing opposition to Tinubu on the economic challenges Nigerians have experienced under his administration.
It also accused the President and members of his inner circle of aggravating public dissatisfaction through what it described as political arrogance.
Furthermore, the group alleged that the administration had spent trillions of naira on projects and programmes it considered wasteful, while many Nigerians continued to grapple with rising living costs.
In the statement, the group maintained that Tinubu’s planned visits would not alter the determination of voters in the affected areas.
“Mr President should know that his visit to these states, if he eventually does, will not in any way change the direction or the determination of the people to vote him out,” the statement read.
The APM camp challenged the President to proceed with the planned visits and engage directly with voters in the states it identified.
“We challenge President Tinubu not to have a change of mind but visit the states to face the people,” the statement added.
The prediction represents the APM camp’s political assessment ahead of the 2027 presidential election and has not been established as an indication of the eventual electoral outcome.
President Bola Tinubu has reportedly initiated peace talks with Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke in a bid to resolve the lingering dispute between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the state government over control of local government councils.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The dispute has reportedly triggered violent confrontations and multiple court cases, leaving the local government administration in the state at a standstill.
Naija News reports that a senior Osun State Government official disclosed to Sunday PUNCH on Saturday that the peace initiative began shortly after Adeleke visited Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja following the August 15 governorship election in the state.
According to the official, the President established a small committee headed by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to develop a framework for resolving the disagreement.
The source added that negotiations had advanced considerably and were approaching their final stage.
The official explained that both the Presidency and the Osun State Government recognised the need to address the local government dispute, which had become a source of public dissatisfaction.
The source said the proposed arrangement would allow both parties to resolve the outstanding issues and approach the courts for an out-of-court settlement, paving the way for normal local government administration to resume.
The official also dismissed suggestions that the peace initiative was a recent development, maintaining that the committee was established during Adeleke’s visit to the President after the governorship election.
The source said Tinubu personally proposed setting up the committee after recognising the increasing complexity of the dispute.
The governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, also confirmed that the Presidency and the Osun State Government were working towards establishing a negotiation team to break the deadlock.
Speaking during a private radio programme in Osogbo on Wednesday, Rasheed said discussions had made significant progress, although he admitted that he was not directly involved in the negotiations and could not provide details of the proposed agreement.
He expressed optimism that the dispute would be resolved before the 2027 general elections, despite the numerous legal and political complications surrounding the matter.
Rasheed noted that the crisis could not be settled through a simple declaration because several contentious issues required careful consideration.
Among the major concerns, he identified the status of APC-backed council chairmen and councillors, whose tenure he said expired on October 25, 2025.
He also pointed to the situation involving Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmen and councillors who were elected but had yet to assume office because of concerns that their resumption could trigger violence.
Other outstanding issues include the handling of local government funds and purchases allegedly made by the APC-backed council officials.
Rasheed stressed that these matters would need to be addressed as part of any lasting settlement.
He reiterated that the governor and the Presidency were working to establish a negotiation team to examine the issues and determine the most appropriate way to resolve the dispute.
According to him, the negotiations were nearing completion, with both sides hopeful of reaching an agreement before the next general elections.
entertainment
Heartbreaking Loss: Actress Tenia Abraham Passes Away After Battling Kidney Infection.
Nollywood actress Tenia Abraham Omenogor has died at the age of 32 after battling a kidney infection. The actress has since been laid to rest.Reports indicate that Abraham died on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, while her family publicly announced her death on Thursday, October 15.
She was buried on Saturday, October 17, at Gudu Cemetery in Abuja, as family members, friends and loved ones gathered to bid her farewell.
Announcing her passing on her social media page, the family described her death as painful and paid tribute to her life and contributions to the entertainment industry.
The statement read: “PAINFUL EXIT. REST IN PEACE. A beautiful soul, a gifted talent, gone too soon… Celebrating the life of TENIA ABRAHAM OMENOGOR (1993–2026), Nollywood Actress, Aged 32 Years.”
The family added that the late actress lived passionately, touched many lives through her talent and left behind a legacy that would not be forgotten.
According to the burial announcement, the funeral took place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, with mourners asked to gather at the mortuary of the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja, by 9 a.m. to pay their final respects.
Beyond her acting career, Abraham was also a former Beauty Queen South South 2020.
Her death comes just days after the passing of gospel singer Toluwanisings, raising fresh concerns about the loss of young Nigerians.
Pelumi Olajengbesi, convener of the Coalition of Public Interest Lawyers and Advocates (COPA), announced the singer’s death on Instagram on Wednesday.
While praying for God’s mercy upon the late singer, Olajengbesi expressed concern over the deaths of young Nigerians, noting that the loss of Toluwanisings and other young men and women was not what God intended for them.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
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