FJF Passes Vote of Confidence on NSCDC, Warns Diaspora Group Against Heating Up Polity Over Niger State Miners’ Probe
The Freelance Journalist Federation (FJF) has passed a definitive vote of confidence on the committee investigating the reported deaths of 37 miners in Niger State, describing the ongoing process as smooth, transparent, and fully compliant with international best practices.
In a strongly worded press statement released on Friday, the media advocacy group countered recent threats by a diaspora organization, the Nigeria Diaspora Organizations and Community for Human Rights (NDOCHR), which had planned a protest at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) headquarters in Abuja. The FJF dismissed the planned demonstration as a “public nuisance” and a “politically motivated scheme” designed to exploit a sensitive issue involving human lives.
The Federation praised the leadership of the NSCDC, the Minister of Interior, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for their commitment to transparency and the rule of law. According to the group, local Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) actively monitoring the panel have already expressed full satisfaction with its integrity, rendering foreign agitations unnecessary.
An investigative committee was established following the incident in Niger State. While the NDOCHR has alleged deliberate delays in releasing the findings, the FJF countered that the ongoing process is meticulous and thorough, cautioning that rushing such a sensitive inquiry would only compromise its integrity.
Furthermore, the diaspora group’s demands for the immediate removal and prosecution of NSCDC Commandant-General Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi were dismissed by the FJF as highly preemptive, flawed, and a direct violation of the fundamental principle of a fair hearing. The FJF also strongly rejected the NDOCHR’s threats to petition the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, labeling it a dramatic overreach and firmly asserting that Nigeria possesses a robust and independent legal framework fully capable of handling its domestic matters. Local Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) actively monitoring the panel on the ground have already expressed full satisfaction with its integrity.
The statement, jointly signed by FJF Conveners Ibrahim Ali, Jonathan Modi, Okpara Isaac, and Christopher Abah, issued a stern warning to Nigerians living abroad. The group explicitly told the diaspora community to refrain from heating up the polity or distracting a government determined to ensure a proper, uncompromised investigation.
To maintain public order, the FJF called on the Inspector-General of Police and national security agencies to prevent unauthorized demonstrations from disrupting the peace of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The group urged the general public to ignore political schemes, remain patriotic, and patiently await the official presentation of the investigative committee’s findings.
