A joint security patrol team in the Kataeregi (Zuzungi area) of Niger State was violently attacked by suspected illegal miners on Tuesday, February 11, resulting in the death of one police officer and the burning of an NSCDC Hilux vehicle.

The patrol team, which included personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigerian Police Force, local Anti-Drugs Control operatives, and the Millennium Metals Mining Company, was conducting a routine operation aimed at curbing illegal mining and mineral smuggling at the site.

While intercepting suspects involved in smuggling extracted minerals, the team came under heavy attack from armed assailants. One officer attached to the patrol was killed in the line of duty, and the attackers set the NSCDC operational vehicle ablaze.

NSCDC Niger State Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, confirmed the incident in a press statement, describing it as a barbaric criminal act and an assault on national authority and economic stability.

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He emphasised that mining sites are critical national assets, noting that illegal mining amounts to economic sabotage under Nigerian law.

As the lead agency responsible for protecting mining areas, the NSCDC vowed zero tolerance for violence against security personnel, warning that perpetrators will face charges including murder, arson, and conspiracy. A manhunt has been launched to apprehend those responsible.

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Aniviye also warned illegal miners to halt operations and vacate unauthorized sites immediately, adding that enforcement will be intensified and offenders will be prosecuted if they refuse to comply.

He extended condolences to the fallen officer’s family, the police, and the security community, and assured that justice would be pursued. He also appealed to the public to provide information that will aid investigations, and called on communities near mining areas to cooperate in restoring peace.

The Corps reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding lives, critical assets, and Nigeria’s economic integrity amid rising threats from illegal mining networks in the state.

The Niger State Police Command also confirmed the death of one of its officials. The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Wasiu Abiodun, stated that the Commissioner of Police has ordered an immediate investigation and vowed to arrest the perpetrators.

“Report received on 11/2/2026 indicated that some miscreants/illegal miners attacked a joint security team attached to a company; millennium metals in Kataeregi, while on a routine patrol around the company business premises.

“The miscreants attacked the team, burnt the company patrol vehicle and unfortunately, a policeman was lynched to death, his firearm taken away and another was injured. The Commissioner of Police has ordered for an immediate investigation, arrest the perpetrators of this crime and ensure that the arm is recovered”, the statement read.