Abuja Market Shooting: NSCDC Suspends Officer, Begins Disciplinary Trial

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has suspended one of its officers, Onoja Babayo Samuel, following allegations that he fired shots into the air during a confrontation with traders at Kubwa Market in Abuja.

Samuel, a Deputy Superintendent of Corps (DSC), was arrested by the Federal Capital Territory Police Command over the incident, which occurred on October 25.

In a statement signed on Thursday by the NSCDC National Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, the corps said it frowned on the officer’s alleged conduct, describing it as a gross violation of its rules of engagement and a misuse of firearms.

The corps said the alleged action breached its Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and would attract appropriate sanctions if established.

The Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Ahmed Audi, has consequently directed the immediate suspension of the officer and the commencement of an Orderly Room Trial to determine his level of culpability.

According to the statement, the suspended officer has been stripped of all official responsibilities and relieved of his assignment pending the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings.

The corps said a committee at its national headquarters in Abuja would oversee the internal disciplinary process, adding that the outcome of the Orderly Room Trial and other proceedings would be made public upon conclusion.

Audi, who reiterated his zero-tolerance stance on the misuse of firearms and professional misconduct, said the corps would not shield any officer whose actions endangered public safety or violated operational guidelines.

The NSCDC chief also reaffirmed the corps’ commitment to protecting lives and maintaining professional standards, regardless of the circumstances.