BREAKING: After 37 Miners’ Deaths, NSCDC Niger Command Orders Officers To Pay N12,000–N22,000 For New Commandant’s Portrait
BREAKING: After 37 Miners’ Deaths, NSCDC Niger Command Orders Officers To Pay N12,000–N22,000 For New Commandant’s Portrait The directive, dated September 22, 2026, and sighted by SaharaReporters, was issued by the…
The article reports that the Niger State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has directed senior officers to pay between ₦12,000 and ₦22,000 for official portraits of the newly deployed State Commandant, Abdulhamid Salisu Kabara. A framed portrait costs ₦22,000, while a sticker version costs ₦12,000. According to the report, officers were instructed to pay into a private account and submit proof of payment.
The directive has attracted criticism because it comes shortly after 37 suspected illegal miners died while in NSCDC custody in Niger State. Sources within the Corps described the timing as insensitive, particularly while the command is facing scrutiny over the deaths. The NSCDC Niger Command, however, said the portraits were intended to show due respect and recognition for the command's leadership and to maintain uniformity across its offices.
The deaths themselves remain under investigation. The Federal Government has suspended the Niger State Commandant and 20 other NSCDC officers, while a 10-member independent committee has been established to determine what happened, including the cause of the deaths and whether negligence or misconduct was involved. The government has given the committee two weeks to submit its report.