Nigeria: Mob kills policeman, attacks NSCDC officers

A routine patrol at an illegal mining flashpoint in Niger State on Tuesday descended into deadly violence as a mob of suspected artisanal miners attacked security operatives, set a patrol vehicle ablaze and brutally killed a police officer attached to the Police Mobile Force (PMF).

SaharaReporters gathered that the incident occurred at about 1:45pm on February 11, 2026, at a mining site belonging to Millennium Metals in the Zunzungi area of the state.

In a wireless message obtained by SaharaReporters, operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) assigned to mining material protection were on routine patrol within the Millennium Metals mining area when they accosted a group of local youths, popularly known as “daba boys,” allegedly engaged in illegal digging of monazite, locally referred to as “zeiko.”

The NSCDC operatives reportedly seized the mined product during the encounter. However, the situation quickly spiralled out of control.

Meanwhile, after the product was seized, the boys mobilised themselves and launched an attack on the NSCDC personnel. A police officer, late PC Emmanuel Samson, who was on joint patrol with the NSCDC team, was also attacked.

In the ensuing violence, a Hilux patrol vehicle used by the security team was set on fire by the assailants.

However, PC Emmanuel Samson, attached to MOPOL 12, Police Mobile Force, Minna, was reportedly beaten to death by the attackers.