The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has suspended Deputy Superintendent of Corps Onoja Babayo Samuel following allegations that he fired shots into the air during a confrontation with traders at Kubwa Market in Abuja.
The incident occurred on October 25, 2026, and led to the officer’s arrest by the Federal Capital Territory Police Command.
The NSCDC has also ordered an Orderly Room Trial to establish Samuel’s level of responsibility in the alleged offence.
Commandant-General Orders Immediate Suspension
In a statement issued on Thursday, the corps’ National Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, said the officer’s alleged conduct amounted to a gross violation of the NSCDC’s rules of engagement and standard operating procedures.
The Commandant-General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, directed that Samuel be suspended immediately and subjected to disciplinary proceedings.
“The Commandant General of the NSCDC, Prof Ahmed Abubakar Audi, who maintains zero tolerance for misuse of firearms or any form of professional misconduct, has therefore directed an immediate suspension of the personnel and Orderly Room Trial to determine his level of culpability in the alleged offence,” the statement read.
Officer Relieved of Duties Pending Investigation
The corps confirmed that Samuel had been stripped of his official responsibilities and relieved of his assignment while the disciplinary process continues.
A committee at the NSCDC’s national headquarters in Abuja will handle the matter. The corps said the outcome of the Orderly Room Trial and the internal disciplinary proceedings would be made public once the process is completed.
The NSCDC reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and maintaining professional standards, adding that it would not tolerate or shield personnel whose actions endangered public safety or breached operational guidelines.
Police Say Distress Call Led to Officer’s Arrest
The FCT Police Command had earlier announced Samuel’s arrest following a distress call reporting that an armed man was firing shots into the air at Kubwa Market.
Police spokesperson SP Josephine Adeh said the officer had gone to the market carrying a pistol after receiving reports that some traders had assaulted his wife.
Operatives from the Kubwa Division were deployed to the scene, where they disarmed and arrested him.
