A routine patrol at an illegal mining hotspot in Niger State on Tuesday escalated into a violent confrontation, leaving a Police Mobile Force (PMF) officer dead and a patrol vehicle destroyed.

The incident occurred at about 1:45 p.m. on February 11, 2026, at a mining site owned by Millennium Metals in the Zunzungi area of the state, SaharaReporters gathered.

According to a wireless situation report obtained by SaharaReporters, operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), tasked with protecting mining materials, were on a routine patrol within the Millennium Metals site when they encountered a group of local youths, commonly referred to as “daba boys”, allegedly involved in illegal digging of monazite, locally known as “zeiko.”

The NSCDC team reportedly seized the illegally mined product, triggering a backlash from the youths.

In the ensuing chaos, the group mobilised and launched an attack on the security personnel. PC Emmanuel Samson, attached to MOPOL 12 of the Police Mobile Force, Minna, who was on joint patrol with the NSCDC, was reportedly beaten to death by the assailants.

The attackers also set the patrol Hilux vehicle ablaze, according to the statement.

The wireless report reads, “x sitrep x from supol kataeregi x grateful be informed that x today 11/02/26 at about 1345hrs x info received from oc zunzungi mine x that x nscdc mining materials on patrol within mining site belonging to millenium metals at zunzungi aor mine x accosted boys (daba’s) digging the monoxide (zeiko) product x eventually seized the product x the boys mobilized and attacked nscdc materials together with one late pc emmanuel samson who was on patrol with nscdc materials x unfortunately x hilux vehicle was set on fire x regrettably x late pc emmanuel samson attached to mopol 12 pmf minna was beaten to death by the boys not yet identified x his rifle was carted away x his corpse has been removed x monitoring in progress x further development shall be communicated yours above for your information x pls.xxx.”