NSCDC Suspends Officer Over Alleged Shooting at Abuja’s Kubwa Market

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has suspended Deputy Superintendent of Corps Onoja Babayo Samuel over alleged sporadic shooting during a confrontation with traders at Kubwa Market in Abuja.

The corps also ordered an Orderly Room Trial to determine the officer’s culpability in the incident, which occurred on October 25, 2026.

Samuel’s suspension followed his arrest by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command over allegations that he fired shots into the air during a confrontation at the market.

In a statement issued on Thursday, NSCDC National Public Relations Officer Babawale Afolabi said the officer’s alleged conduct violated the corps’ rules of engagement and standard operating procedures.

The Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, reportedly directed the immediate suspension and commencement of disciplinary proceedings, reiterating the agency’s position against misuse of firearms and professional misconduct.

“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.

The corps said Samuel had been stripped of his official responsibilities and relieved of his assignment pending the conclusion of the disciplinary process.

It added that a committee at the NSCDC national headquarters in Abuja would handle the matter. The outcome of the Orderly Room Trial and internal disciplinary proceedings would be made public after their conclusion.

The NSCDC reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and maintaining professional standards, warning that it would not shield officers whose actions endangered public safety or breached operational guidelines.

The FCT Police Command had earlier disclosed that Samuel was arrested 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 reportedly gone to the market with a pistol following allegations that some traders had assaulted his wife.

According to the police, operatives attached to the Kubwa Division were deployed to the scene, where they disarmed and arrested the suspect.

The NSCDC’s disciplinary proceedings are expected to establish the officer’s level of responsibility in the incident.