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Civil Society Council Seeks Independent Investigation Into NSCDC Officer’s Killing
Civil Society Council Seeks Independent Investigation Into NSCDC Officer’s Killing
The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN) has called for an independent, transparent and impartial investigation into the death of Deputy Superintendent of Corps (DSC) Agada Levi Agada, expressing concern that the probe has shifted from identifying those responsible for the officer’s killing to pursuing allegations against Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Abdulmajeed Abisoye Oyewumi.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Saturday, the Executive Director of the NCSCN, Ambassador Blessing Akinlosotu, said the circumstances surrounding Agada’s death should remain the central focus of investigators. He stressed that only a comprehensive investigation supervised by relevant federal oversight institutions would restore public confidence in the justice system.
The council’s position follows allegations by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Mining Marshals that CSP Oyewumi assisted Chinese nationals standing trial for alleged illegal mining to evade prosecution.
According to the Mining Marshals, the defendants repeatedly failed to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja, leading Justice M.S. Liman to revoke their bail and issue bench warrants for their arrest.
The NSCDC further alleged that Oyewumi, alongside other police officers, facilitated the escape of two suspects through the Nigeria-Cameroon border and attempted to assist another defendant before he was tracked to an apartment in Abuja. The Mining Marshals also claimed that investigators recovered live ammunition, suspected rare minerals, bank statements and electronic devices from the residence where Oyewumi allegedly lived with the Chinese nationals.
However, Akinlosotu maintained that the death of Officer Agada should not be overshadowed by other investigations.
“Our intervention is neither to defend nor indict any individual or institution. Rather, it is to ensure that investigations are conducted professionally, fairly, transparently and strictly in accordance with the Constitution and the rule of law,” he said.
The council stated that information available to it indicated that Agada died during an operation at a mining site and that an autopsy allegedly revealed gunshot wounds to his chest and abdomen. It also noted claims that the ammunition allegedly used in the shooting may have been traced to the NSCDC armoury, while stressing that it could not independently verify the allegation.
According to the NCSCN, such claims require a thorough and independent investigation capable of commanding public confidence.
The council also raised concerns over the search conducted at Oyewumi’s residence by NSCDC Mining Marshals.
It alleged that the officers were searching for the police case file relating to Agada’s death and other materials connected to the investigation. The council claimed the officers searched virtually every part of the house, including the ceiling, in an effort to locate relevant documents.
The NCSCN further alleged that Oyewumi’s mobile phone was confiscated during the operation and claimed the device contained conversations and confessional materials allegedly linking certain individuals to efforts to suppress or influence the investigation into Agada’s death.
It urged investigators to determine whether due legal procedures were followed during the search and seizure and whether any electronic evidence was lawfully handled.
The council also questioned the allegation that the Chinese nationals were involved in illegal mining, stating that information available to it suggested they possessed valid mining licences issued by relevant government authorities.
It said the legal status of the mining operations should be determined through official records rather than allegations.
The NCSCN further demanded updates on the investigation into Agada’s death, including whether suspects had been identified, arrests made, forensic examinations completed and prosecutions initiated.
It also called for clarification on the evidence supporting the allegations against CSP Oyewumi, insisting that accountability must be based on verifiable evidence, including documentary records, witness statements, electronic communications and forensic findings.
Additionally, the council requested an investigation into allegations that officials of the NSCDC Mining Marshals prevented other security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, from accessing mining sites, thereby limiting independent oversight.
The NCSCN also sought clarification over allegations that a senior Mining Marshal led a midnight operation at the residence of a Chief Superintendent of Police during which property was allegedly damaged and valuables taken, while reportedly failing to honour an invitation by the Nigeria Police Force.
The council urged all security agencies to avoid institutional rivalry capable of undermining public confidence in the administration of justice.
It called for an independent review of the entire matter under the supervision of appropriate federal oversight institutions to examine the circumstances surrounding Agada’s death, the subsequent investigations and any allegations of obstruction, misconduct, abuse of process or other unlawful conduct.
The NCSCN maintained that anyone found culpable should be held accountable regardless of rank or agency, while emphasizing that every accused person is entitled to fair hearing and the constitutional presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Police Corporal Allegedly Kills Police Girlfriend, Commits Suicide In Kogi
According to an account seen by SaharaReporters on the incident, the officer, identified as Corporal Amos, was assigned to night-duty station guard and reportedly resumed duty at about 6pm before disappearing from his post a few hours later.
Eereporter.com
Apolice corporal attached to the Ajaokuta Division in the Kogi State Police Command has allegedly shot dead his girlfriend, identified as Woman Corporal Grace, before taking his own life with an AK-47 rifle.
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The incident reportedly occurred at about 9pm on October 23, 2026, although the circumstances surrounding the deaths have not yet been verified.
According to an account seen by SaharaReporters on the incident, the officer, identified as Corporal Amos, was assigned to night-duty station guard and reportedly resumed duty at about 6pm before disappearing from his post a few hours later.
He was alleged to have proceeded to the quarters of Grace, where he shot her several times before turning the weapon on himself.
The account claimed that Grace sustained gunshot wounds to her shoulder, lower abdomen and leg before the corporal allegedly shot himself.
The motive behind the incident has not been officially established.
However, the circulating account linked the tragedy to alleged relationship difficulties between the two officers.
According to the account, the officers had been in a romantic relationship for several years but reportedly began experiencing trust issues and allegations of infidelity in recent months.
It was further alleged that their disagreements had escalated into physical confrontations and threats, prompting intervention by the divisional authorities at some point.
The account claimed that the two officers were previously detained by the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO), who allegedly advised them to end the relationship to prevent further conflict.
“He reported on duty at about 6pm and disappeared few hours later and went straight to Grace’s quarters and murdered her before killing himself also.
“The two junior police officers had been dating for some years now, but few months ago, they started having trust issues and cheating allegations. There had been physical fight and threats to the extent they were detained at some point by the DCO who later advised them to end the love relationship for the sake of peace,” a source revealed.
Police
“But yesterday, Corporal Amos decided to end it all, by firing three straight bullets on Corporal Grace, one on her shoulder, the second on her lower abdomen and the last on her leg before firing himself. May their souls rest in peace,” the source added.
Further details, including the official confirmation of the deaths, the recovery of the weapon and the circumstances under which the officer allegedly left his duty post, were not available at the time of filing this report.
The Kogi State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of writing.
Calls by SaharaReporters to the Police Public Relations Officer were not answered as of the time of filing this report.
The police are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths when the incident is officially confirmed.
Eereporter.com
Military Strikes Kill 15 Terrorists Near Pulka Community in Borno
The Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday by its acting Military Information Officer, Captain Mohammed Goni.
Eereporter.com
The Nigerian military has reported that 15 terrorists were neutralised in a precision air strike north-west of Pulka in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
The operation was carried out at about 11:50pm on Friday, October 23, following intelligence reports and confirmed sightings of suspected terrorist movements in the area.
The Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday by its acting Military Information Officer, Captain Mohammed Goni.
According to the statement, the air strike was followed by ground operations aimed at exploiting the area and consolidating the gains recorded during the offensive.
The military said the operation was part of its sustained efforts to disrupt terrorist movements and degrade the operational capabilities of insurgent groups operating in the North-East.
It added that the strike demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence gathering and coordinated military action in targeting terrorist elements.
The statement noted that troops had continued to maintain pressure on insurgents through sustained offensive operations, supported by intelligence gathering and the coordinated deployment of military resources.
Operation Hadin Kai said the ongoing operations were aimed at denying terrorist groups freedom of movement and preventing them from threatening communities across the theatre.
The military reiterated its commitment to combating terrorism and insurgency, protecting civilians and creating conditions for the restoration of normalcy and socio-economic activities in affected communities.
It also urged members of the public to continue cooperating with security agencies by providing timely and credible information about suspicious movements and activities.
Nigerian Army
According to the statement, collaboration between the military and civilians remains critical to consolidating operational gains and achieving lasting peace and security in the North-East.
The military did not provide further details about the identities of the 15 suspected terrorists or disclose whether any military personnel or civilians were affected during the operation.
Eereporter.com
WHO Commences Ebola Vaccine Trial in DR Congo
The World Health Organisation has commenced the first clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine during the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Eereporter.com
WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, announced the development in a post on his official X handle on Friday, following the vaccination of the first participants in Bunia, in the country’s northeastern Ituri province.
The trial, named Tumaini, meaning “hope” in Swahili, will assess whether vaccine candidates can protect against the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which no vaccine has been approved.
“Science gives us hope. Today, in Bunia, DRC, the first participants were vaccinated in a new Ebola vaccine trial called Tumaini.
“This trial will help us understand whether any of the vaccine candidates designed for Bundibugyo virus work,” he wrote.
“In the meantime, the existing Everbo vaccine (licensed for use in preventing other Ebola virus disease) will be tested.
“WHO is supporting this DRC-led effort to find answers and save lives,” he added.
The first vaccine to enter the trial is Ervebo, which is licensed to prevent Ebola disease caused by the Zaire strain. Researchers will investigate whether it can also offer protection against the Bundibugyo strain responsible for the current outbreak.
Two additional vaccine candidates, being developed by Moderna and the University of Oxford in collaboration with the Serum Institute of India, are expected to join the study.
The trial will evaluate the safety, immune response and effectiveness of the vaccine candidates. It will also use a ring vaccination approach, targeting contacts of confirmed cases and other people at high risk of infection.
According to the figures released by organisations supporting the trial, the DRC had recorded 9,552 cases and 4,602 deaths as of October 21.
DR Congo
The outbreak, declared on May 15, 2026, prompted the WHO to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
The WHO stated that the trial is being led by Congolese health authorities and research institutions, with support from the WHO and international partners.
However, the commencement of the trial does not mean a vaccine has been proven effective against the Bundibugyo strain.
Eereporter.com
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