The Nigeria Police Force has announced the arrest of three officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)’s Mining Marshals unit over the death of a senior colleague of the unit during an operation.
Messrs Simeon Yakubu Anyebe, Ibrahim Ayefu and ASC Iwodi Obochi were arrested in connection with the death of a Deputy Superintendent of Corps (DSC) Agada Levi Agada.
Agada was reported shot while on duty during an operation at Rafin Gabas in the Agwada area of Nasarawa State.
In a statement at the weekend, the Police said its Force Intelligence Department (FID) commenced an investigation into Mr Agada’s death following receipt of a petition filed by the lawyer to the family, Nwabueze Obasi-Obi of Maikyau & Co. Legal Practitioners.
“We traced over N2 billion into the Zenith Bank account of Sergeant Labaran, the account number is 1008392780; and we have been able to trace the transfer and receipt of such clandestine monies from his account to and from the accounts of some of the other suspects,” the police stated.
The FID said it invited several senior officers of the Mining Marshals for questioning as part of its investigation, saying they are yet to honour the invitation.
Those invited by the police FID were ACC Attah John Onoja (Commander Mining Marshals); Superintendent Atabo (2i/c Mining Marshal); ASC 1 Jimoh Abdulrahman; ASC 2 Usman AKA Dogo; ASC 1 Ibrahim Ayefu; Sgt. Jibril Labaran; Simeon Yakubu Anyebe; Insp. Habila AKA K9; Ojo Toluwatope Alex; ASC II Salisu Nda Mohammed; ASC II Yusuf Attahiru; Amos Yowu; Mustapha Mohammed, Jimoh Abdulrahman, and ASC Iwodi Obochi.
Incidentally, Onoja has sent a petition to the IGP, Tunde Disu accusing the for Force FID unit of interference in the operations of the Mining Marshals and of working to frustrate its work.
The trio of Anyebe, Ayefu, and Obochi were said to have been nabbed by the police at a correctional facility during their visit to the centre allegedly to debrief another person detained there in relation to the death of Agada.
“Unknown to them, some prison officials immediately alerted the police while the suspects were making an inquiry about the remanded individual, and our operatives immediately swooped in and arrested them,” the police said.
“We have further urged the NSCDC Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, to release the remaining suspects to the police for questioning on what led to the killing of late Agada.”
In a petition filed by Nwabueze Obasi-Obi of Maikyau & Co. Legal Practitioners, the family urged the Inspector-General of Police, the National Assembly, and the National Human Rights Commission to probe the cause of Mr Agada’s death and ensure accountability.
It also asked authorities to establish the true circumstances surrounding Agada’s death and ensure that those responsible for hus demise are brought to justice.
Agada’s family alleged inconsistencies in the NSCDC’s narrative concerning their son’s death, saying these raised doubts about the official narrative.
In the petition, the family further alleged irregularities in how the deceased’s death came about, how his remains were handled and transported, as well as statements regarding burial arrangements.
The petition reads in part, “These accounts are irreconcilable with the information obtained from the Department of Surgery, FMC, Keffi, Nasarawa State, where Dr. Kuza Philemon informed members of the family on or about 25 March 2026, in the presence of a police officer, that the NSCDC officers who brought the deceased on 17 February 2026 reported that the gunshot injury to his right chest resulted from an accidental discharge from the firearm of an NSCDC officer.
“The said firearm was also shown to the doctor before treatment commenced. Despite efforts to save the deceased, he died on 18 February 2026. However, the medical report issued by the FMC Keffi reveals, 19 February 2026 as the date the deceased died.
“The materially inconsistent accounts supplied by NSCDC officers as to the events leading to the deceased’s death, coupled with the information obtained from FMC, Keffi that the fatal gunshot was attributed to the accidental discharge of an NSCDC officer’s firearm, strongly suggest a coordinated attempt to conceal the true circumstances of a suspected culpable homicide.”
The family said a sum of ₦3 million was given to the family through Mr Anyebe, after the deceased’s burial, which the NSCDC was said to have presented as burial support.
The petition further claimed that the NSCDC has failed to return Mr Agada’s phones to his family despited several requests.
The petition added, “Following the burial, the family received the sum of N3,000,000.00 (Three Million Naira) on 8 March 2026 from Simeon Anyebe, who claimed that he was instructed by ACC Attah John Onoja (the Mining Marshal of the NSCDC) to transfer the money to the bank account of the deceased’s wife with UBA, stating that it was burial support from the company they worked for, as directed by the Mining Marshal, NSCDC.
“The family also requested the release of the deceased’s two mobile phones, which remain in custody of the Mining Marshals, but the officers refused. Despite repeated demands and ACC Onoja’s undertaking to return the phones to the family, they have continued to withhold them without justification.”
