The Commander of the Mining Marshals unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), John Onoja, has dismissed a police report alleging that one of his officers was linked to more than ₦2 billion in suspicious bank transactions following the death of a fellow operative.
Onoja described the report as inaccurate and malicious, insisting that it was part of a wider effort to undermine the activities of the Mining Marshals, a special NSCDC unit established to combat illegal mining across the country. He further alleged that foreign nationals involved in illegal mining operations were sponsoring campaigns aimed at damaging the reputation of the unit.
His reaction followed an online report claiming that the police arrested three NSCDC officers over the death of a Mining Marshals operative and uncovered over ₦2 billion in questionable transactions linked to one of the suspects.
In a statement issued on Monday, Onoja rejected the allegation, stating that the bank account cited in the report belonged to officer Jibrin Labaran and recorded transactions of less than ₦1 million over the past year. According to him, the account showed total credits of ₦760,129.85 and debits of ₦760,457.25, largely reflecting the officer’s salary and legitimate earnings.
The commander also accused officers attached to Team N of the Force Intelligence Department, led by CSP Abdulmajeed Abisoye Oyewumi, of consistently interfering with Mining Marshals operations in Nasarawa State. He claimed the dispute between both agencies predates the current investigation and stems from efforts to curb illegal mining activities.
Onoja alleged that the police team had on several occasions arrested Mining Marshals personnel and obstructed legal actions against suspected illegal miners.
He disclosed that he had written to the Inspector-General of Police, requesting that the investigation into the death of Deputy Superintendent of Corps Agada Levi be transferred to the Department of State Services (DSS) to ensure an independent and unbiased review.
Levi, a member of the Mining Marshals, reportedly died while carrying out official duties, prompting investigations that led to the arrest of some NSCDC officers.
Defending the conduct of the unit after the officer’s death, Onoja said the Mining Marshals took responsibility for supporting Levi’s family and organising his burial. He noted that a burial committee was established and all associated expenses were covered without any financial contribution from the deceased’s relatives.
He further revealed that friends and associates of the unit later raised ₦3 million for Levi’s widow as part of efforts to assist the bereaved family.
The commander maintained that some foreign operators whose illegal mining sites had been shut down by the Mining Marshals were behind attempts to tarnish the image of the unit and its leadership.
While acknowledging Levi’s death as the first fatality recorded since the creation of the Mining Marshals more than two years ago, Onoja insisted that the unit’s management had no knowledge of the circumstances that led to the incident.
He called on Nigerians to remain calm and allow the DSS and other relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation, stressing that the allegations against the Mining Marshals were false and intended to discredit the organisation.
The Nigeria Police Force has yet to issue an official response to the claims made by the NSCDC commander.