The FCT Police Command has arrested an official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. Onoja Samuel, a Deputy Superintendent of Corps, was arrested at Kubwa Market in Bwari Area Council, Abuja. He allegedly fired a pistol into the air. The incident followed reports that some traders had assaulted his wife.
Armed security personnel have a history of using weapons in public disputes. In 2024, a police officer fired shots at a Lagos market during an argument over a phone. In 2025, a soldier was arrested after a similar incident in Abuja. The pattern reflects weak discipline and the easy availability of firearms. The NSCDC is a civil defence corps, not a combat force. Its officers carry weapons for specific duties. Using a personal or service pistol in a market is not one of them.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Mohammed Sanusi, briefed journalists. He said the Kubwa Police Division received a distress call. A man armed with a pistol was firing into the air. Operatives were deployed. They apprehended the suspect. Preliminary investigations identified him as a DSC with the NSCDC. He had gone to the market because his wife reported an assault. During an argument with the traders, he fired several shots.
A CZ pistol and 17 rounds of live 9mm ammunition were recovered. The suspect is in custody. He will be charged to court after investigations. Sanusi urged personnel of sister security agencies to exercise restraint. He asked them to notify police divisions before conducting operations in the FCT. The warning is necessary. Inter-agency clashes are common. The police and NSCDC have clashed before. This time, the NSCDC officer was the suspect.
Winners: The police, which made an arrest. Market traders, who escaped injury. The rule of law, if prosecution follows. Losers: Onoja Samuel, who faces charges. The NSCDC, whose reputation is damaged. The traders, who faced gunfire. The public, which sees another armed official behaving recklessly. The police, if the case is not pursued.
Bottom Line: An NSCDC officer fired a gun in a market. He was arrested. The weapon was recovered. The reason was an assault on his wife. That is not a justification. The police have promised prosecution. The NSCDC has not commented. An officer who fires into a crowd is a danger. The law must treat him as such.