NSCDC Deploys Abdulhamid Kabara as New Niger Commandant Following Custodial Deaths

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has announced the immediate deployment of Abdulhamid Kabara as the new State Commandant for Niger State, following the controversial deaths of 37 detainees in the command’s custody.

Kabara steps into the role to steady the command after his predecessor, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, was suspended by the Ministry of Interior alongside several other officers. The suspension came in the wake of a dark incident in Minna where dozens of suspects, rounded up during operations targeting illegal mining sites, died while locked in a holding facility.

Addressing officers and men at the state command headquarters following his assumption of duty, Kabara cut a somber tone, extending heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. He stressed that while the corps remains unwavering in its statutory mandate to combat economic sabotage and illegal mining, operational duties must strictly align with human rights, professionalism, and accountability.

“At a moment like this, beyond arrests, investigations, enforcement and the fight against illegal mining, we must remember one fundamental truth: every human life matters,” Kabara stated.

The new commandant pledged to ensure that personnel operate safely within the boundaries of the law, even as external independent panels and federal authorities continue their comprehensive inquiries to establish the exact causes of the tragedy and enforce necessary disciplinary measures.