28th October,2026

The Amalgamated Civil Society Groups of Nigeria (ACSGN) has taken note of the recently submitted report of the Federal Government’s investigative panel, chaired by Mr. Jonathan Kure, alongside various reports circulating on social media concerning the deaths of 33 illegal miners in Minna, Niger State, on September 16 and 17, 2026.
The unfortunate incident, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of 33 detainees, has raised serious concerns about detention conditions, operational procedures, the protection of human rights and accountability within the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other sister agencies. According to reports on the panel’s findings, the deaths were attributed to factors including overcrowding, extreme heat, dehydration and inadequate detention conditions.
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, reportedly received the panel’s report and pledged to implement its recommendations to ensure justice for the victims and their families.
Among the reported recommendations are the payment of ₦1.4 billion in compensation to the families of the 33 deceased miners and 44 survivors, as well as the summary dismissal of the former Niger State Commandant of the NSCDC, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, and other officers found to have been directly involved in the detention and eventual deaths of the miners.
While the Amalgamated Civil Society Groups of Nigeria (ACSGN), recognises the importance of accountability, justice and institutional discipline, we believe that the implementation of the panel’s recommendations must be guided by fairness, established administrative procedures, due process and a clear understanding of the responsibilities of the officers concerned.

THE COMMANDANT-GENERAL’S LEADERSHIP AND TRANSFORMATIONAL STRIDES
As an organisation committed to accountability, transparency, justice and good governance in public service, ACSGN wishes to state that the Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has made significant contributions to the repositioning, rebranding and institutional development of the Corps since assuming office.
His leadership has been associated with efforts to strengthen professionalism, improve personnel development, enhance operational capacity, promote discipline and raise the morale of officers and men of the Corps. These efforts, in our assessment, deserve objective recognition and should be considered fairly in any evaluation of the organisation’s overall performance.
The development of infrastructure, improvements in personnel capacity and the promotion of institutional discipline are important elements of effective leadership. They should neither be ignored nor dismissed because of an unfortunate incident involving officers operating at a particular command.
We emphasise, however, that recognising the achievements of the national leadership does not diminish the gravity of the deaths in Niger State. The lives lost demand a thorough investigation, appropriate accountability for those found culpable and effective measures to prevent a recurrence but we are not unmindful of the activities of fifth columnists and spentforces who are working clandestinely to use the panel’s report to thwart the leadership efforts of the organisation and paint management in bad light for the fact that they have an axe to grind.

In a press statement jointly signed by the National Convener of ACSGN, Comrade Wale Adegoke, and its Secretary, Comrade Musa Abdullahi, the group expressed concern over the reported recommendation for institutional reforms aimed at strengthening the leadership of the NSCDC.
According to the information available to the group, the panel reportedly recommended institutional reforms within the Corps. We believe that any such recommendation must be examined carefully within the context of the panel’s actual findings, the evidence presented and the specific shortcomings identified during the investigation.
Institutional reforms are not inherently objectionable. Indeed, every responsible organisation must continually review its procedures, address weaknesses and improve its operational standards. However, reforms should be based on demonstrable institutional deficiencies and clearly articulated objectives, rather than being interpreted as an automatic indictment of the national leadership or a means to cast aspersions on the leadership because of its performance. ” You cannot pass or transfer an individual mess to his boss just to hang him”. It is unacceptable in today’s world and very unethical practice globally.

DELEGATED AUTHORITY AND THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN NATIONAL AND STATE RESPONSIBILITIES
Our principal concern is the need to distinguish clearly between the overall supervisory responsibilities of the Commandant-General and the operational responsibilities exercised by a State Commandant under delegated authority.
The Commandant-General oversees the NSCDC nationally, providing strategic direction, institutional supervision and policy leadership. At the state level, however, the State Commandant is responsible for managing the command’s operations within the framework of applicable laws, regulations, directives and delegated powers.
This distinction is fundamental to any fair assessment of administrative and operational responsibility. Where an incident arises from decisions, omissions or actions taken at the state level, the investigation must establish who authorised the operation, who exercised direct control, which procedures were followed or violated, and whether any failure of supervision or institutional oversight contributed to the outcome.
It would therefore be inappropriate to assume that the Commandant-General bears direct personal responsibility for every operational failure occurring within a state command merely because he heads the organisation nationally.
At the same time, we must take into account the apology given by the state commandant of wrong doing and professional oversight. Accountability must follow the evidence and the actual responsibilities of the individuals and offices concerned.
This is the standard of fairness that ACSGN believes should guide the interpretation and implementation of the panel’s recommendations.

THE PANEL’S REPORTED FINDINGS AND THE NEED FOR EVIDENCE-BASED CONCLUSIONS
Of particular importance is the reported finding that the operation leading to the arrest and detention of the miners was conducted without an operational order or approval from the NSCDC national headquarters as stated by the panel’s report.
This finding raises an important question about the chain of command, the authorisation of the operation and the extent to which decisions were taken independently at the state level.
It is therefore necessary to examine the precise wording of the report and determine what conclusions can reasonably be drawn from that finding. The absence of an operational order or approval from the national headquarters may be relevant to establishing where the operation originated and who exercised direct operational control. However, the panel has exonerated the national headquarters by the admission in the report that there was no direct communication or procedural directive nor authorisation.
Accordingly, ACSGN urges the relevant authorities and the public to distinguish between the panel’s established findings, its recommendations and the interpretations subsequently placed on them by interested parties.
If the panel identified specific officers as directly responsible for violations, the appropriate disciplinary measures should be pursued in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations.
What must be avoided is the indiscriminate attribution of blame or the drawing of conclusions that go beyond the evidence contained in the report such as, it is clandestinely syndicated by fifth columnists in the social media platforms by changing the facts of the issue in trying to cast aspersions on the hard- earned reputation of the CG who oversees the entire organisation.
The group also notes and reports that the former Niger State Commandant apologised over the incident and acknowledged shortcomings under his watch. Any such admission should be considered alongside the full findings of the investigation, rather than treated as a substitute for a comprehensive determination of individual and institutional responsibility.
An apology may be relevant to an inquiry, but the final determination of culpability must rest on established facts, applicable rules and due process just as stated in this issue and nothing more.

NO ROOM FOR SCAPEGOATING, SELECTIVE ACCOUNTABILITY OR PREJUDGMENT
ACSGN is concerned that the panel’s recommendations and their subsequent interpretation could become the subject of political or institutional controversy, with the potential to shift attention away from the central issues of justice for the deceased, support for the survivors and the prevention of future tragedies.
We caution against any attempt to use the unfortunate deaths of the miners as a basis for an unjustified campaign against the Commandant-General or the national management of the NSCDC. Equally, we reject any attempt to shield officers who may have acted negligently, unlawfully or in violation of established procedures.
The appropriate response is neither indiscriminate condemnation nor unconditional exoneration. It is a fair, evidence-based assessment of the conduct of every officer and institution whose actions or omissions may have contributed to the tragedy.
Where responsibility is established, accountability must follow. Where allegations are unsupported, reputations must not be damaged through speculation, misinformation or the selective presentation of findings.
The group therefore calls on all stakeholders to refrain from using inflammatory narratives to prejudge the outcome of the investigation or to undermine public confidence in the NSCDC without a proper examination of the evidence.

RECOGNISING PERFORMANCE WHILE DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY
The group further observes that Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi has reportedly been reappointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for another four-year term. We believe that the continuation of his tenure should be assessed on the basis of institutional performance, measurable reforms, operational effectiveness and the Corps’ ability to fulfil its statutory responsibilities.
A single incident, however serious, should not automatically erase an institution’s achievements. Equally,
the appropriate approach is to preserve what has worked, correct what has failed and strengthen the safeguards necessary to protect lives, uphold human rights and ensure professional conduct.
We urge the Commandant-General and the management of the NSCDC to remain committed to strengthening internal accountability, improving detention standards, enforcing operational procedures and ensuring that all personnel understand the limits and responsibilities of their delegated authority.
These measures would reinforce public confidence in the Corps and demonstrate that institutional reform and responsible leadership can proceed together.

OUR CALL TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE NSCDC LEADERSHIP
The Amalgamated Civil Society Groups of Nigeria call on the Minister of Interior, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development and the Commandant-General of the NSCDC to ensure that the panel’s recommendations are implemented fairly, transparently and in accordance with the law.
We further urge the relevant authorities to:
Publish or make available the relevant findings: Ensure that the panel’s conclusions and recommendations are communicated accurately, so that the public can distinguish established facts from speculation and partisan interpretations.
Establish individual and institutional responsibility: Clearly identify the respective roles of the officers involved, the state command and the
uphold due process: Ensure that disciplinary measures are proportionate to the findings and implemented in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations.
Provide justice for the victims and survivors: Pursue the recommended compensation through transparent and lawful procedures, while ensuring that the families of the deceased and the survivors receive the support to which they are entitled.
Strengthen operational safeguards: Review procedures governing arrests, detention, supervision and the welfare of detainees to prevent a recurrence of such a tragic incident.
Protect institutional integrity: Ensure that accountability is not converted into an instrument for personal vendettas, political pressure or the unjustified discrediting of any public officer.
Promote professional standards: Sustain reforms aimed at improving personnel training, discipline, operational efficiency and the protection of lives and property throughout the country.
The NSCDC remains an important national institution with responsibilities that include protecting critical national assets and infrastructure, supporting internal security and contributing to the preservation of public order. Its capacity to discharge these duties effectively is in the public interest.
We therefore encourage the Corps’ leadership to remain focused on its statutory responsibilities while treating the Niger State incident with the seriousness it deserves.

VOTE OF CONFIDENCE IN THE NATIONAL MANAGEMENT OF THE NSCDC
In view of the foregoing, the Amalgamated Civil Society Groups of Nigeria hereby express its confidence in the national management of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps under the leadership of Commandant-General Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi.
Our position is based on our assessment of the national leadership’s institutional development efforts and our conviction that the Niger State incident must be addressed through a fair and evidence-based process that distinguishes individual operational responsibility from wider institutional oversight.
This vote of confidence is not a rejection of accountability, nor does it diminish the suffering of the victims and their families. Rather, it reflects our belief that justice must be pursued without prejudice, that responsibility must be established through evidence, and that the integrity of a national institution must be protected through transparency, professionalism and continuous improvement.
We urge the Federal Government, the NSCDC leadership and all stakeholders to ensure that the tragedy in Niger State becomes an opportunity to strengthen institutional safeguards, improve operational accountability and restore public confidence.

…You have become a northern liability since you came to limelight using all available means to butter your bread.

The recent political activities and stories credited to Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed did not come as a surprise to many Nigerians and Northern elites. This is because Baba Ahmed, a desperate politician from the North, tends to look for scapegoats to blame instead of looking inwards since he became a lame duck used by a disgruntled few.

We at the Arewa Voters Assembly (AVA) are aware that Baba Ahmed is addicted to making sensational stories and fabricated narratives against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose only crime is contesting for the presidency of Nigeria in 2023, which he won fair and square. In every rhetoric made by this self-appointed Nigerian patriot and bootlicker, there is nothing of substance except outrageous insinuations against President Tinubu and nothing more.

The lies alluded to by Baba Ahmed that the late President Buhari, of blessed memory, accused PBAT of being bad news is a lie from the pit of hell, and we have it on good authority that he fabricated the story for cheap political score. We can authoritatively say that he was never that close to the General when he was alive, and this can be attested to by very close aides and associates of the former leader. In fact, the likes of Baba Ahmed and his ilk are bad news for our country because he is always looking for who to butter his bread and rehabilitate him as a lame duck.

You have conceived a personal hatred for President Tinubu who is trying to give Nigerians a country that works for all. But because of your preconceived agenda against any non-Hausa/Fulani leader, you will do anything to bring down any Nigerian President outside your borrowed identity.

Baba Ahmed is outstanding for only one thing: trying to brainwash ordinary people, the Talakawas, as a tool in his manipulative therapy for a narrow-minded political agenda because he is aware that they are gullible. The hallmark of his bitter political campaign against President Tinubu is a product of his pathetic mischief, mudslinging, casting of aspersions and doing anything possible to denigrate, disparage and malign the President at any given opportunity, just to show his disdain and lack of character and intellectual maturity.

You were an INEC Secretary appointed during the PDP era. What was the outcome of the elections conducted under your watch? You are only shedding crocodile tears for all the atrocities you and your gang of Northern political elites committed against the ordinary Talakawas in our region at large and Nigeria in general.

Your sudden leadership maneuvering of the PRP for your political aggrandizement is part of a grand illusionary chase and fantasy to impose a dark agenda on our people, which will be resisted by well-meaning Nigerians and the entire North because of your self-serving agenda and inordinate ambition of always plotting against a change agent and an advocate for good governance. Indeed, the country’s trajectory is gradually turning around in all ramifications, be it the economy, infrastructure, education, security and in all facets of our national life. What a big shame to narrow-minded people like you who allow your parochial minds to becloud your judgement just for a morsel of porridge and cheap publicity.

You were never associated with the PRP. Balarabe Musa, Malam Lawal Dambazau, Ammani Inuwa, Halle Jani and several other PRP bigwigs during their days were the active members and leaders.

You are an ideological pretender. Your mindset is anti-Talakawa, completely detached from their daily realities and activities. Therefore, you cannot deceive Nigerians that you are sympathetic to the plight of the Talakawas. We all know those that were truly our leaders and pillars, not interlopers and hirelings like you.

As Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, you were part of the cabal under Yar’Adua. You saw nothing wrong when cabal members were playing hide and seek with Nigerians over his ill health, neither did you come to tell Nigerians the truth then because for you, it is all about self and not for the collective good. May Almighty Allah rest his soul and grant him paradise.

We challenge Baba Ahmed to mention what the ordinary Talakawas and Northern Nigeria benefited from his being in government all these years.

We are aware of the position held by his younger brother in the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA). He was in charge of the finances of the power company, but Baba Ahmed is yet to utter a word on the circumstances surrounding the failure of NEPA and the characters that looted its coffers dry.

Baba Ahmed, you served as Secretary to the Government of Kaduna State under an Idi Amin-like, brazen military Governor who arbitrarily sacked workers without regard to due process. He was unapologetically arresting and detaining citizens without trial whatsoever, including Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, without compensation. The poor workers and civil servants were obnoxiously thrown out from the state workforce without compensation, and they were ordinary people without visible means of subsistence outside the service. What a shame!

During the high-handed era of the State Governor, you never blinked an eyelid against his dictatorial leadership and remained in a juicy government position completely detached from the Talakawas. You spoke from both sides of the mouth and were completely drunk with power, not minding whose ox is gored, and today you have the temerity to speak? Go and hide your head in shame, you bootlicker!

We must state, with a fair amount of certainty too, that you are an ethnic champion and a sinew collaborating with retrogressive forces and bigots to stir up crisis in our multi-ethnic and multi-religious society before, during or after the 2027 general elections.

We make bold to state that Baba Ahmed suddenly found a voice to criticize the government because he could not find direct access to PBAT to misguide him. Baba Ahmed categorically said his grouse was that throughout the period he served as Political Adviser in the Office of the Vice President, he never met the President one-on-one.

This brings us to the task of analyzing the motive of Baba Ahmed’s rantings. To us in AVA, there is no meaning to his infamous activities other than working to install a visionless regime so that he can once again be part of the cabal to hold Nigeria hostage for their own selfish agenda. He and his minions should expect imminent defeat at the polls come 2027 general elections.

It is also noteworthy that throughout the years he has been in the corridors of power, Baba Ahmed never championed any coalition for the emergence of a single candidate either in his ward, local government or at the state level. However, because of his hatred and disdain for President Tinubu, he is hypocritically doing so against him just to supplant him with the most unpatriotic Northern Nigerian politician who promised to make Nigeria ungovernable if he did not get the presidency in 2011. Nigeria is still suffering from that statement credited to his leader in the form of banditry, killings, kidnappings and terrorism since he made that treasonable statement till date.

The most absurd and theatrical commentary is the golden silence of Baba Ahmed on the evil activities of Atiku using his hired goons in Washington DC in a desperate bid to stop the sale of arms to the Nigerian military. It is a sad commentary that they want to thwart the sale of arms by the American government to Nigeria. This unconscionable plan is to allow bandits and terrorists to kill more Nigerian citizens and security personnel in order to give President Tinubu a bad name, for the sponsors of terrorism to gain advantage.

Let it be known that as far as Arewa Voters Assembly is concerned, the only area sponsors of bandits have a pass mark is in sentiments, lies and evil plots against political opponents. We shall use everything in collaboration with other patriots to ensure that men of evil machinations against the progress and development of our country can never succeed in their warped obsession with power grab at all cost in 2027. And we will not allow them to get away with their obvious threat to the collective well-being of citizens, both Northerners and Southerners alike.

Signed:

Comrade Iliasu Musa
National Coordinator, AVA.

Comrade Paul Katuka
Secretary, AVA.

It was the respected, erudite US-based Nigerian scholar, Professor Farouk kperogi, that previously confirmed what we in the Arewa Discussion Group, ADG, have always known of Phrank Shuaibu, the grandstanding, rogue agent, cantankerous media running dog of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a serial self acclaimed presidential candidate presently, flying the presidential flag of the African Democratic Contraption alias ADC in the 2027 general elections. Our dossier on Phrank Shuaibu was gathered from accounts of those who had known and related with him way back to his youthful days, as a student at the University of Jos and in the early days of his career in the media ecosystem. Most of them speak of his being a dubious, slimy, despicable and a creepy irrelevant self- seeking young man who will do anything for the mesh of porridge. He is said to have always shown gross deficiency on matters of honesty and integrity. He is portrayed as very opportunistic and unreliable with scanty regards for morality, decorum and decency. From the various testimonies about Phrank Shuaibu’s antecedents, he is a character that aptly qualifies to be called a rogue, a pathological liar, an impulsive pretender and a depraved crook of the first order. Given our knowledge of the characters that have perfected the art of mudslinging and casting of aspersions against the officials of the present administration, we in the Arewa Discussion Group,(ADG), were not surprised or shocked therefore, by the shattering revelations, denuding of Phrank Shuaibu by Professor kperogi. Among other scathing remarks, Professor Kperogi described Phrank Shuaibu as a, “nakedly transparent fraudster.” That, in other words, is calling the Atiku’s image maker, a congenital liar and an impulsive intellectual thief.We are providing the following highlights of the allegations of Professor Kperogi for the benefits of those who may not have read details of the scandal:Phrank Shuaibu had created a Facebook Group titled, MIND YOUR GRAMMAR, where he was flaunting his supposed mastery of the English language. He was also frequently doing the same programme on the Channel Television and the Kogi State Radio station.On the basis of that, he earned a wide range of reputation and encomiums. While some unsuspecting members of the public hailed him as a “genius”, others deferred to him as a “Professor”, of the English language while others mocked him for his delusional mannerisms.Even as he very well knew, deep down his mind, that he did not merit those accolades, but because he is unconscionable, shameless and a “bald-faced” crook, Phrank Shuaibu went about wallowing and regaling in the glory with glee. Shame!According to Professor Kperogi, Phrank Shuaibu was habitually copying from his published works, sometimes, “entire passages”, sometimes, “whole articles, word for word and pasted them on the front page of the Facebook group” plagiarising all his intellectual works. Phrank was always playing the same questionable pranks of plagiarising the works of Professor Kperogi and may be other genuine, renowned scholars on his radio and television programmes during the period under review.Thus, the Farooq Kperogi’s assessment of Phrank Shuaibu as a brazen criminal, “a vile, contemptible, Janus-faced, disreputable scheming character.”Professor Kperogi concluded his dissection of the character of the new found “celebrated” media aide of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in these words: “A wretched, dishonest, compulsively mendacious character.” Going by his written and oral communication skills, Phrank Shuaibu has no capacity to even string together a sentence in English that isn’t a rib-tickling travesty of the language.”He is a wretched, dishonest, compulsively mendacious character.” Wow!!!Available record revealed that while commenting on the issue, an earstwhile watcher of Phrank Shuaibu, Abdul Mahmoud Esq simply dismissed him as, “a serial plagiarist, a master crook.”Though, the Arewa Discussion Group is siding with transparency minded Nigerians on the need to set the record straight in this specific plagiarism instance, we however, take cognisance of the serious implications of the exposure and denuding of Phrank Shuaibu.Firstly, Phrank Shuaibu’s profoundly disgraceful criminal act of brazen plagiarism has just further confirmed our knowledge of the serial criminals positioning themselves as alternative come 2027 general elections. The same unscrupulous charlatans working with pseudo American lobbyists to tarnish the reputation of the Nigerian state. They are totally bereft of honour and only pursuing an agenda of power grab and emptying our common hegemony.Very significantly, the revelations have again brought up the question of the paucity of moral rectitude and etiquettes in the credentials of those characters masquerading as role models and alternative leaders of the country come 2027 general elections. In Phrank Shuaibu, we can see a typical example of the fake, nit-witted charlatans that are held high and celebrated in the corridors of power because, they flaunt the qualities and attributes that they do not possess. This explains the prevalence of crooks and outright criminals occupying exalted positions among the so-called opposition elements in our country.We wonder what could have been the attractions of the likes of Phrank Shuaibu to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the ADC? Is it that, in their desperate quest for power, they needed a Phrank Shuaibu, a scum, a slimy, shameless crook? Is it that they consciously went for a man Friday…a clumsy, soulless but yet, rambunctious, rambling character who has no qualms pirating other people’s intellectual property? Because, precisely, that is Phrank Shuaibu.We, in the Arewa Discussion Group(ADG), are wondering if, by being cozy and at home with a duplicitous character like Phrank Shuaibu, Atiku Abubakar and the ADC are inadvertently giving the impression that: “birds of the same feathers flock together”? From the foregone, the Arewa Discussion Group(ADG) is of the position that:* For whatever modicum of morality and integrity left in him, Phrank Shuaibu should immediately begin the process of purging himself of the heinous and reprehensible criminal act of brazen plagiarism. * This will entail his publicly admitting to the crime, tendering publicly-made apologies to Professor Farooq Kperogi and the numerous members of the public that he had wilfully deceived into perceiving, adoring and hailing him as a towering intellectual giant in the class of a “genius” or a “Professor.” * Very pertinently, his act of penance must also include redeeming his pledge of making financial compensation to Professor Farooq Kperogi for the thefts of intellectual property.* The Arewa Discussion Group(ADG) is of the view that, it is in the best interest of public health/sanity, the image and integrity of himself, that Phrank Shuaibu should, for a long while, exit from the public arena. It will be utterly appalling, bizarre and insulting to the nation’s values for a Phrank Shuaibu to continue prancing around as a “guru” of the English language and an “expert'” of the noble art of public relations.* Should, in spite of all, Phrank Shuaibu, the exposed pirate of intellectual property remain recalcitrant and impervious to reasons, the Arewa Discussion Group,(ADG) is in full support of Concerned citizens decision to commence legal actions against the shameless pretender. On a final note, the Arewa Discussion Group wishes to advice Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the ADC that, if Phrank Shuaibu should fail to honourably quit, he should be disengaged from his present position as a media aide, charged with the responsibility of laundering and projecting the image of the party and its presidential candidate.This is hinged on our candid view that, the continued retention of Mr Shuaibu is, immeasurably ruinous and counterproductive to every goal his engagement by desperate power mongers was intended to achieve in the first instance.We are on the same page with Professor Farooq Kperogi on his concluding soul searching, rhetorical questions:”What kind of society puts people like Phrank Shuaibu in positions of responsibility? Worse, what kind of society celebrates slimy little liars like this?”A word, the adage says, is enough for the wise.Arewa Discussion Group,(ADG), indeed, the entire country is watching.Signed.Malam Rabiu Maru SECRETARY