FG Inaugurates Independent Panel to Probe Deaths of 37 People in NSCDC Custody
By Nafiu Muhammad Lema
The Federal Government has inaugurated a 10-member Independent Investigative Committee to investigate the reported deaths of 37 people in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.
The committee was inaugurated in Abuja on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, by the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Tunji-Ojo charged the committee to operate independently and without interference, saying its primary responsibility was to establish the truth surrounding the deaths.
He said the families of the deceased deserved justice, describing it as a debt owed by the country to the victims.
The committee is mandated to establish the identities of the deceased, investigate the circumstances surrounding their arrest and detention, and determine through appropriate medical and forensic examinations the causes and manner of their deaths.
It is also expected to determine whether negligence, misconduct, complicity or any breach of duty occurred and recommend appropriate disciplinary measures, compensation where applicable, and steps to prevent a recurrence.
The minister directed NSCDC authorities and other relevant officers to cooperate fully with the investigation and ensure that all records and material evidence connected to the incident are preserved and made available.
He warned that any attempt to destroy or conceal evidence, intimidate witnesses or obstruct the investigation would be treated as a serious offence.
“We owe you the truth. This committee will give you the truth. No officer, no matter how highly placed, will be shielded if found culpable,” Tunji-Ojo said.
The committee is chaired by retired DSS Deputy Director-General, Jonathan Kure, while Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma (SAN), former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, serves as Secretary.
Other members are retired AIG Hosea Hassan Karma; Professor Olayinka Buhari, Professor of Histopathology and former Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital; Niger State Secretary to the Government, Abubakar Usman; retired Federal Permanent Secretary Idris Kuta; National Secretary of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Liman Sulaiman; lawyer and human rights activist Deji Adeyanju; Blueprint Newspaper journalist Zainab Suleiman Okino; and public affairs analyst Dr George Agbakahi.
Speaking on behalf of the committee, Kure said the appointment was a call to national service rather than a privilege.
He assured Nigerians and the families of the deceased that the committee would work with open minds and base its findings strictly on facts established during the investigation.
The committee is expected to commence its assignment immediately and submit its report within two weeks.
