By Peter Omopo
The (NSCDC), Niger State Command, has arrested a village head and 33 other suspects in connection with the killing of a police officer and the burning of an NSCDC patrol vehicle in Zuzungi, Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State.
The State Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Minna, the state capital.
According to him, the incident occurred on Wednesday, February 11, 2025, at about 12:30 p.m., when NSCDC personnel, alongside officers of the and a local security outfit known as Anti-Drugs Control, were on a routine joint patrol at a mining site operated by Millennium Metals Mining Company.
Aniviye said the patrol team intercepted individuals allegedly involved in illegal mining activities and attempting to smuggle minerals from the site.
He explained that the suspects reportedly mobilised and launched a coordinated attack on the security operatives.
During the attack, an NSCDC Hilux patrol vehicle was set ablaze, while a police officer, Constable Emmanuel Shamsi, was killed in the line of duty. The security team was said to have tactically withdrawn to avoid further casualties.
The commandant said a special operation was immediately launched following credible intelligence. Fifteen suspects were arrested while trying to flee the community, while 19 others — including the village head — were apprehended at his residence in the Zuzungi Gwari area of Kataeregi, where the attackers were allegedly hiding.
All 34 suspects are currently in NSCDC custody. Authorities said investigations are ongoing and that the suspects will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
