Onoja, who serves as the Commander of the NSCDC’s Mining Marshal, was said to have filed a petition before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
The petition alleged an attack on his team by officers of the Nigeria Police Force and raised concerns about police interference in the prosecution of arrested illegal miners.
However, the NSCDC’s National Headquarters has reacted strongly to the development. In a statement issued by CSC Afolabi Babawale, the Corps’ National Public Relations Officer, the Commandant General, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, expressed displeasure over the action, describing it as unauthorized and beyond the commander’s jurisdiction.
“The officer acted unilaterally and without clearance from the Corps’ leadership,” the statement read. “As such, the NSCDC dissociates completely from the said petition and has directed ACC Onoja to withdraw it immediately.”
