Family Demands Interior Minister Probe NSCDC Officer Agada’s Death Amid Cover-Up Allegations

A human rights law firm, Y.C. Maikyau & Co., has formally petitioned the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, calling for a thorough investigation into the demise of DSC Agada Levi Agada, an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The firm, through barrister Nwabueze Obasi-Obi, submitted the petition on June 18, 2026, on behalf of the deceased's family, alleging potential criminal conspiracy, unlawful killing, evidence concealment, and a breach of the officer's right to life.

The petition points to conflicting reports from certain NSCDC officers and members of the Mining Marshals unit, deployed to Rafin Gabas, Agwada in Nasarawa State, regarding the circumstances surrounding Agada’s death. Those accused include Attah John Onoja, commander of NSCDC Mining Marshals, Simeon Anyebe, Ibrahim Ayefu, Iwodi Obochi, Femi Fatomona, Inspector Habila (alias "K9"), Sergeant Jibril Labaran (alias "Abatoir"), ASC I Jimoh Abdulrahman (alias "Admin"), and ACC Alex Tolu Ojo.

According to the legal document, the deceased, who held service number 44722 within the NSCDC Mining Marshals, suffered a fatal gunshot injury on February 17, 2026, and subsequently passed away at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Keffi. Initially, an NSCDC officer, Simeon Anyebe, informed family members that Agada and five colleagues were ambushed by bandits while on duty, with the five others reportedly dying instantly, and Agada succumbing to his wounds a day later.

However, a different narrative emerged during a condolence visit to the family when the Commanding Mining Marshal, ACC John Attah Onoja, stated that Agada was the sole casualty and that five other officers involved had been arrested and detained. Furthermore, the petition highlights information from medical personnel at FMC Keffi, who indicated that the officers who brought Agada to the hospital attributed the gunshot wound to an accidental discharge from another NSCDC officer's firearm. The lawyers assert that these contradictory accounts raise serious questions about the true events leading to the officer's death.

The law firm also questioned the N3 million transferred to the deceased's widow as burial support via an NSCDC officer. They argue that this payment, made without any official communication explaining the cause of death or investigation findings, could be an attempt to dissuade the family from seeking justice. Another point of contention is the deceased's mobile phones, which the family claims remain in the custody of the Mining Marshals despite repeated requests for their return. The firm believes these devices could contain crucial evidence relevant to the investigation.

“On that note, the family demanded the release of the deceased's two mobile phones, which are in the custody of the Mining Marshals, but the officers refused,” the petition states. It adds, “Despite repeated demands and an undertaking by ACC Onoja to release the phones of the deceased to the family, they withheld them without any justification.”

The family had previously reported the matter to the Force Intelligence Department of the Nigeria Police Force, leading to inquiries and the arrest of some NSCDC personnel, though the family has not been updated on the investigation's outcome. A civil suit concerning the matter has also been filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, with proceedings scheduled for July 15, 2026.

Among the reliefs sought, the law firm urges the Minister of Interior to order an independent investigation, ensure forensic examination of the deceased's phones and other evidence, summon and question all officers linked to the incident, suspend any personnel found culpable, and facilitate the prosecution of anyone implicated in the alleged killing or subsequent cover-up. The petition emphasizes that only a transparent and impartial investigation can uncover the truth and deliver justice for Agada's family.

Additionally, the lawyers disclosed that they have petitioned the Inspector-General of Police over alleged threats and attempts to pressure family members and key witnesses. An earlier petition, dated June 3, 2026, signed by J. U. Odenigbo on behalf of the family, reported that a key witness had been receiving persistent calls from unknown numbers. The family described these calls as “intimidation, harassment and a threat to life aimed at silencing material witnesses and frustrating ongoing efforts to uncover the true circumstances of the deceased's death.” They added, “The timing of these anonymous calls, coming after the family raised serious complaints concerning the contradictory accounts surrounding the deceased's death, has heightened the family's fear that persons connected with the incident or persons acting on their behalf may be attempting to threaten, monitor or influence potential witnesses,” concluding that, “The family new lives in fear and has become apprehensive about freely cooperating with investigators unless urgent protective steps are taken by the Nigeria Police Force.”