How Blood-thirsty Mining Marshals Kill Pastor Colleague In Nasarawa
The family of late DSC Agada Levi Agada, who is also a pastor with one of the new generation churches, has called on the the inspector-general of police, the national assembly, Human Rights Commission and other relevant authorities to investigate and bring to justice all those involved in the killing of late Agada, who was shooting and killed while on duty at Rafin Gabas, Agwada, Nasarawa State.
In a petition signed by Nwabueze Obasi-Obi Esq. of Y.C. Maikyau & Co on behalf of the family, and addressed to the inspector-general of police, the chairman, House of Representatives committee on public petition, Hon. Michael Etaba Irom, Human Rights Commission; against officers of the Nigeria Security And Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the mining marshals unit over the suspected criminal conspiracy, unlawful killing, and violation of the fundamental right to life of DSC Agada Levi Agada, the family called for a full-scale investigation into his untimely death.
Part of the petition read that “We are solicitors to the family of DSC Agada Levi Agada (hereinafter referred to as “the deceased”), and it is upon their firm instructions that we present this petition against certain officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and members of its Mining Marshals Unit posted to Rafin Gabas, Agwada, Nasarawa State.
“The deceased, bearing service No. 44722, was, until his death, an officer of the Mining Marshals Unit of the NSCDC. He was a native of Onicha-Igo, Igalogba District, Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State, and was offered provisional appointment into the NSCDC on April 16, 2012.
“Sometime around 19 February 2026, one Simeon Anyebe, an officer of the NSCDC, accompanied by another unidentified NSCDC officer, visited the residence of the Deceased in Kaduna State and met his wife. They informed her that the deceased had been involved in an accident and was at Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital, and stated that they wished to speak with one of the deceased’s siblings. The deceased’s wife accordingly provided the phone number of Mr. Matthew Agada, one of the deceased’s elder brothers. When the officers attempted to speak with him by telephone in her presence, they claimed there was network interference and thereafter left the residence, promising to call him back.
“Later on the same 19 February 2026, Mr. Anyebe reached Mr. Matthew Agada on his mobile phone and informed him that the Deceased had died on 18 February 2026 following an alleged attack by bandits at their place of work in Rafin Gabas, Agwada Village, Nasarawa State. He further stated that, on or about 17 February 2026, the deceased and five other unnamed NSCDC personnel were shot during the said attack, and that all five officers died at the scene while the deceased survived. He also stated that the deceased was initially taken to a village hospital in Agwada by about six officers, including one Femi Fatomona; however, when the hospital could not manage the emergency, he was conveyed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Keffi, Nasarawa State, under the lead of one Iwodi Obochi and in the company of about five NSCDC officers, where he died the following day, namely 18 February 2026. Mr. Simeon further stated that the five NSCDC officers who allegedly died on the spot were buried immediately in accordance with Islamic rites, and that ACC Attah John Onoja, the Commanding Mining Marshal, later joined the officers at FMC, Keffi, in a convoy of other officers.
“Mr. Simeon further stated that, following the death of the deceased, Ibrahim Ayefu, an officer of the Mining Marshals, collected the corpse from the FMC and deposited it at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, on the same 18 February 2026.
“The news of the deceased’s death came as a rude shock to his siblings, who knew how diligently and professionally he had discharged his responsibilities. Nonetheless, on Friday, 20 February 2026, a delegation from the NSCDC, led by ACC Attah John Onoja (the Commanding Mining Marshal) and Simeon Anyebe, in the company of one of the Deceased’s elder brothers, Mr. Paul Agada, paid a condolence visit to Mr. Matthew Agada at his residence in Abuja, where the NSCDC officials narrated the same account of how the deceased was allegedly killed by bandits and claimed to have tried to save him, but that he died the following day at FMC, Keffi.
“On Monday, 23 February 2026, ACC Attah John Onoja (the Commanding Mining Marshal) requested to meet the wife and children of the deceased, who were in Kaduna. Mr. Paul Agada, an elder brother of the deceased, accompanied ACC Onoja, Simeon Anyebe, and other NSCDC officers to Kaduna for that visit.
During the visit to Kaduna, Mr. Samuel Agada, the eldest brother of the deceased, requested ACC Onoja and Simeon Anyebe to explain the true circumstances that led to the Deceased’s death. In response, ACC Onoja informed him that the deceased, while on duty, had gone to a location within their place of assignment which he was not authorised to visit. In an apparent attempt to support that assertion, ACC Onoja played a voice note from his phone which he claimed contained a prior warning to the deceased not to proceed to that location. ACC Onoja further stated that only the deceased died, while the other five NSCDC officers involved were arrested and detained. He thereafter promised that financial support would be provided to the family to assist with burial and related needs.
“Ibrahim Ayefu, the officer who deposited the corpse at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, on 18 February 2026, was the same officer who signed out the corpse on 6 March 2026, accompanied by members of the family. Thereafter, the family members, led by Mr. Matthew Agada, went to the NSCDC Headquarters to brief the NSCDC on the burial arrangements of the Deceased, and ACC Onoja (the Commanding Mining Marshal) reassured the family members that the NSCDC would bear responsibility for the burial expenses.
“The family proceeded with the burial arrangements of the Deceased on 7 March 2026. The officers and men of the NSCDC conducted a burial parade with an official band and roll call before the deceased was buried. The deceased is survived by his wife, two children, and twelve siblings. Copies of some of the photographs taken, obituary posters, and a flash drive containing recordings of the events are hereby attached and marked Annexures 4, 5, and 6 respectively.
“Following the burial, the family received the sum of #3,000,000.00 (Three Million Naira) on 8 March 2026 from Simeon Anyebe, who claimed that he was instructed by ACC Attah John Onoja (the Mining Marshal of the NSCDC) to transfer the money to the bank account of the deceased’s wife with UBA, stating that it was burial support from the company they worked for, as directed by the Mining Marshal, NSCDC.
“The family also requested the release of the deceased’s two mobile phones, which remain in custody of the Mining Marshals, but the officers refused. Despite repeated demands and ACC Onoja’s undertaking to return the phones to the family, they have continued to withhold them without justification.”
Contradicting Accounts
The petitioner further noted that the family became worried when they noticed contradicting accounts of the incident that led to the death of late Agada and hence, the need for the call for investigation.
According to the him, “it is material to note that the accounts given by officers of the NSCDC to the family regarding the death of the deceased are contradictory in material particulars and raise grave questions as to the true circumstances surrounding his death.
“In the initial phone conversation of 19 February 2026, Simeon Anyebe informed the family that bandits attacked the deceased and five other NSCDC officers, that all five others died and were buried immediately on account of their faith, and that the deceased survived until the following morning and died at the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi.
However, during the visit to Kaduna on 23 February 2026, ACC Onoja informed the family that only the deceased died, while the other five officers were arrested and detained.
“These accounts are irreconcilable with the information obtained from the Department of Surgery, FMC, Keffi, Nasarawa State, where Dr. Kuza Philemon informed members of the family on or about 25 March 2026, in the presence of a police officer, that the NSCDC officers who brought the Deceased on 17 February 2026 reported that the gunshot injury to his right chest resulted from an accidental discharge from the firearm of an NSCDC officer. The said firearm was also shown to the doctor before treatment commenced. Despite efforts to save the deceased, he died on 18 February 2026. However, the medical report issued by the FMC Keffi reveals, 19 February 2026 as the date the deceased died.
“The materially inconsistent accounts supplied by NSCDC officers as to the events leading to the deceased’s death, coupled with the information obtained from FMC, Keffi that the fatal gunshot was attributed to the accidental discharge of an NSCDC officer’s firearm, strongly suggest a coordinated attempt to conceal the true circumstances of a suspected culpable homicide.”
The petitioner also noted that “Our clients are profoundly concerned by the conduct of the NSCDC, which, in the circumstances of this matter, falls short of the degree of transparency, responsibility, and institutional accountability expected of an employer and law enforcement agency. To date, our clients have received no official communication from the NSCDC explaining the circumstances of the deceased’s death, nor are they aware of any internal or external investigation initiated by the NSCDC into the incident.
“Additionally, the payment of N3,000,000.00 to the family through the bank account of the deceased’s wife, ostensibly as burial support, appears prima facie to have been made as an inducement to suppress scrutiny and inquiry into what may amount to an unlawful killing.
“We are aware of a medical report issued by the Department of Surgery, Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Keffi, Nasarawa State, being the hospital where the deceased died. The report was signed by Dr. Kuza Philemon, one of the medical practitioners who attended to the deceased when he was brought in by officers of the NSCDC, and who confirmed, as earlier stated, that the deceased died from a gunshot fired by one of the officers, albeit described as an accidental discharge. The determination of the precise circumstances leading to that fatal shooting is plainly a matter for investigation.
“The facts disclosed above raise serious questions that demand a full-scale investigation.”
Also speaking, one of the brother of late Agada, Paul Levi Agada, in a court affidavit, confirmed that ” ACC Onoja of NSCDC and commander of the mining marshal contacted Mrs Lilian Achenyo the wife of Late DSC Agada Levi of NSCDC Mining Marshal and also my elder brother Mr Matthew with phone number 08036791979 in February 2026″
“He came to the house of My Late brother and promise to send money through Simeon Anyebe of NSCDC, to support the family during the burial and on 8th of march he sent the Sum of three Million Naira only (N3,000,000) to Mrs Lilian UBA bank account number 2037181976.”
Meanwhile our investigation has shown that the Nigeria Police Force, through the Force Intelligence Department after thorough investigation, invited ACC Attah John Onoja (Commander Mining Marshal); Superintendent Atabo (2i/c Mining Marshal); ASC 1 Jimoh Abdulrahman; ASC 2 Usman AKA Dogo; ASC 1 Ibrahim Ayefu;
Sgt. Jibril Labaran; Simon Yakubu Anyebe; Insp. Habila AKA K9;
Ojo Toluwatope Alex; ASC II Salisu Nda Mohammed; ASC II Yusuf Attahiru; Amos Yowu; Mustapна Монамmed and Jimoh Abdulrahman for interview to ascertain the role they played but they they failed to appear before the police.
One of the suspects, Sgt. Jibril Labaran, NSCDC Minning Marshal had over N2 billion traced to his current account in Zenith Bank: 1008392780.
A reliable source informed our reporter that the police has successfully arrested Simeon Yakubu Anyebe, Ibrahim Ayefu and ASC Iwodi Obochi of NSCDC mining marshal unit where they have made useful information as to what led to the killing of late Agada.
The source also alleged that there are plans for the NSCDC to thwart the investigation by arresting and arraigning its staff thereby affecting the police investigations and stated that the Nigeria Police Force is determined to ensure that this case is not swept under the carpet and is calling on the commandant-general (Controller General) of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi to release the remaining suspects for interviews on what led to the killing of late Agada.