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The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has dismissed two operatives of its Mining Marshal Unit for unlawfully providing illegal miners with firearms.
The corps also exonerated the Mining Marshals Commander, John Onoja, whose team was allegedly linked to the diversion of N2 billion and a cover-up of circumstances leading to the death of a personnel, Levi Agada, in Nasarawa state.
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NSCDC Commandant General (CG) Ahmed Audi, while briefing journalists on the dismissal on Wednesday in Abuja, said the actions of the two dismissed personnel contradicted established guidelines.
Mr Audi, represented by the NSCDC spokesperson, Babawale Afolabi, said that their actions constituted grave misconduct, professional negligence, and conduct prejudicial to the corps’ discipline and operational integrity.
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“Consequently, both personnel have been dismissed from the service and recommended for prosecution in accordance with the law,” he said.
The commandant general said the dismissal of the officers was based on the recommendation for prosecution of the personnel following the operational incident of 18 February in Nasarawa, which led to the death of their location commander, Levi Agada.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the demise of Mr Agada led to several controversial publications by some media organisations regarding the operations of the mining marshal unit headed by Mr Onoja.
NAN also reports that Mr Onoja had then dismissed allegations linking his team to the diversion of N2 billion and the cover-up of the circumstances surrounding Agada’s death.
The NSCDC boss, in his briefing, said that comprehensive investigations had cleared Mr Onoja, the lead prosecutor, and other members of the management team of any alleged complicity.
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“Allegations suggesting otherwise were found to be false and without factual basis,” he said.
According to Mr Audi, investigations also established that there was no evidence of premeditated intent against the deceased.
NAN further reports that the two former mining marshals were among the 37 personnel recently dismissed from the Corps, while 42 others were sanctioned for various offences.
(NAN)
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