The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN) has accused the Commander of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Mining Marshals, Attah John Onoja, of running a biased investigation into the death of Deputy Superintendent of Corps DSC Agada Levi Agada. The council said the inquiry has drifted away from identifying Agada’s killers and is now centered on the arrest and prosecution of Chief Superintendent of Police CSP Abdulmajeed Abisoye Oyewumi.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Saturday, NCSCN Executive Director Ambassador Blessing Akinlosotu said only an independent, transparent and impartial investigation could restore public trust. He urged relevant federal oversight institutions to supervise the process to ensure it is conducted strictly in line with the Constitution and the rule of law.
The council’s intervention comes after the NSCDC Mining Marshals alleged that CSP Oyewumi helped Chinese nationals standing trial for illegal mining evade court. According to the 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 agency also claimed Oyewumi and other police officers facilitated the escape of two suspects through the Nigeria-Cameroon border, and that he was planning to help another defendant flee before being tracked to an Abuja apartment. Commander Onoja further alleged that investigators recovered live ammunition, suspected rare minerals, bank statements and electronic devices from the residence where Oyewumi allegedly lived with the Chinese defendants, accusing him of obstructing justice.
The NCSCN, however, insisted that Agada’s death must remain the central focus. “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,” Akinlosotu said.
According to the council, information available to it suggests Agada died during an operation at a mining site. It cited claims that an autopsy allegedly showed gunshot wounds to his chest and abdomen, and that the ammunition used may have been traced to the NSCDC armoury. The council noted it could not independently verify that allegation but said it was too serious to ignore.
The NCSCN expressed concern that attention has shifted from the killing to allegations against Oyewumi. It also raised questions about the conduct of the search carried out at the CSP’s residence. The council said officers allegedly broke the ceiling and searched the house for the police case file and materials that could expose an attempted cover-up of Agada’s death. It added that Oyewumi’s mobile phone was seized during the operation, with claims that it contained recorded conversations and confessional materials linking certain persons to efforts to suppress the investigation.
The council urged investigators to confirm whether constitutional procedures were followed during the search and seizure, and whether any electronic evidence was lawfully handled. It also questioned the basis for labeling the Chinese nationals as illegal miners, stating that information available to it indicates they held valid mining licences issued by the appropriate authorities. “Allegations should not replace documentary evidence,” the council said.
NCSCN listed several questions for the Mining Marshals, including the current status of the probe into Agada’s death, whether suspects have been identified or arrested, and whether autopsy findings and ballistic tests have been completed and forwarded for prosecution. It also asked what evidence supported the allegations against Oyewumi, and called for a probe into claims that Mining Marshal officials blocked other security agencies, including the Nigeria Police, from accessing mining sites.
The council called for a full independent review under federal oversight to examine Agada’s death, subsequent investigative actions, and any allegations of obstruction or abuse of process. It maintained that anyone found culpable should be held accountable regardless of rank or agency, while stressing that every accused person is entitled to a fair hearing and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
