NSCDC Officers Allegedly Asked to Pay ₦22,000 for New Niger Commandant’s Portrait Amid Mining Death Controversy

NSCDC Officers Allegedly Asked to Pay ₦22,000 for New Niger Commandant’s Portrait Amid Mining Death Controversy

Senior officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State have allegedly been directed to pay between ₦12,000 and ₦22,000 for the production of the official portrait of the newly deployed State Commandant, Abdulhamid Salisu Kabara.

The directive, dated September 22, 2026, was issued by the Niger State Command’s Civil Defence Public Relations Unit and was reportedly circulated to Heads of Departments, Heads of Units, Area Commanders and Divisional Officers across the command.

According to the directive, officers were given two options: a framed portrait at ₦22,000 or a portrait sticker without a frame at ₦12,000.

The directive also instructed affected personnel to make payments into a private account bearing the name Abubakar Mohammed Rabiu Muti through Opay or Moniepoint.

Officers were further asked to indicate their names or offices on payment receipts and forward proof of payment to a designated telephone number for documentation and confirmation.

Sources within the Corps told Reporters that notifications about the payment began reaching affected personnel on Tuesday.

The sources questioned the timing of the directive, particularly as the Niger State Command remains under scrutiny following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who were reportedly in NSCDC custody in Minna, the state capital.

One source described the directive as insensitive, alleging that personnel were being subjected to additional financial demands while the command was still dealing with the aftermath of the deaths.

However, the Niger State Command defended the directive, explaining that the portraits were intended to ensure due recognition of the command’s leadership and uniformity across its formations.

In a message circulated to personnel, the command said Kabara had directed that his official portrait be displayed in the offices of senior officers across the command.

The command stated that the move was “in line with the established practice of according due respect and recognition to the leadership of the Command, as well as promoting uniformity and proper official representation across all formations.”

It subsequently listed the approved options as a full portrait with frame for ₦22,000 and a portrait sticker without frame for ₦12,000.

The command also instructed officers to clearly indicate their names or offices on transaction receipts and submit proof of payment for documentation.

It remains unclear whether the payment requirement was formally approved by NSCDC headquarters or whether it forms part of a broader nationwide policy.

The development comes against the backdrop of heightened scrutiny of the Niger State Command following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in NSCDC custody.

The Corps had earlier reportedly arrested more than 20 personnel in connection with the incident, including Suberu Aniviye, the suspended Niger State Commandant.

Following Aniviye’s suspension, Kabara was deployed to take over the command amid concerns surrounding the deaths and the treatment and conditions of detainees in custody.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths have prompted public concern and calls for accountability, with questions raised over the conditions under which the suspected illegal miners were detained.

Against this backdrop, the latest directive asking senior personnel to personally fund the production of the new commandant’s official portrait has generated further questions among officers within the command.

The NSCDC has not publicly disclosed the outcome of any investigation into the deaths beyond the disciplinary measures already reported.