Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has officially exonerated the Commander of its Mining Marshals unit, Assistant Commandant of Corps (ACC) John Onoja Attah, from explosive allegations linking him to the diversion of N2 billion and a cover-up surrounding the death of an operative during a February operation in Nasarawa State. The clearance came as the Corps announced the dismissal of two Mining Marshals operatives for unlawfully supplying firearms to illegal miners and disclosed disciplinary sanctions against 79 personnel for various acts of misconduct, including job racketeering, illegal recruitment, financial misconduct, sabotage, theft, and professional negligence.
The Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, represented by the Corps' National Public Relations Officer, Afolabi Babawale, made the clarifications at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. Audi stated that comprehensive investigations carried out by the Corps found no evidence implicating Onoja, the lead prosecutor, or other members of the management team of any alleged complicity in the allegations that had trailed the unit for months. "Allegations suggesting otherwise were found to be false and without factual basis," Audi declared. The Commandant-General further disclosed that investigators found no evidence of premeditated intent or conspiracy in relation to the death of the operative, Deputy Superintendent of Corps (DSC) Levi Agada.
The controversy erupted following the death of DSC Agada during an operational incident on February 18, 2026, in Nasarawa State. The incident sparked widespread media reports and public speculation alleging that the Mining Marshal leadership was involved in the diversion of N2 billion and had attempted to conceal the true circumstances surrounding the officer's death. At the height of the controversy, ACC Onoja had consistently denied the allegations, describing them as false and part of a coordinated campaign to discredit the Mining Marshals and frustrate the unit's operations against illegal mining syndicates. The NSCDC said its internal investigation has now vindicated those claims.
While clearing the unit's leadership, the Corps announced that two operatives directly involved in the operational incident had been dismissed from service for unlawfully providing firearms to illegal miners. According to Audi, the officers' conduct amounted to grave misconduct, professional negligence, and actions prejudicial to the discipline and operational integrity of the Corps. "Consequently, both personnel have been dismissed from the service and recommended for prosecution in accordance with the law," he said. The dismissed operatives were identified as Hosea Habila and Jibrin Labaran. The two former mining marshals were among 37 personnel recently dismissed from the Corps, while 42 others received different sanctions following separate disciplinary proceedings. The NSCDC reiterated that the Mining Marshal Unit remains a critical component of the Federal Government's efforts to combat illegal mining and protect the nation's solid mineral resources.
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