Atiku donates ₦20m to families of 37 Miners who died in NSCDC custody

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has donated ₦20 million to the families of 37 artisanal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.

Atiku announced the donation on Tuesday during a visit to Minna, where he also paid a condolence visit to the Emir, Alhaji Umar Farouk Bahago, and met with affected families and survivors of the incident.

The detainees died on September 17, days after they were arrested during NSCDC operations against suspected illegal mining in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State. The circumstances surrounding their deaths remain under investigation.

Speaking with the families and survivors, Atiku described the incident as a tragedy that required truth, justice and accountability. He said one survivor’s account of the conditions in which the detainees were held was particularly disturbing.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the survivor claimed that more than 68 detainees were crammed into a small detention facility and that some resorted to drinking one another’s urine to stay hydrated.

Atiku said every person in state custody was entitled to humane treatment and protection under the law, regardless of the allegations against them.

“No Nigerian should ever be subjected to such indignity in the custody of his own government. These were human beings in the care of the state. Whatever accusations may have been made against them, they were entitled to their lives, their dignity and the protection of the law,” he said.

He added that the deaths should prompt a broader examination of the economic conditions pushing young Nigerians into hazardous and poorly regulated work.

“Thirty-seven young Nigerians entered the custody of the state alive and did not return alive to their families. That tragedy demands truth, justice and accountability,” Atiku said.

The ADC chieftain linked the incident to poverty, unemployment and the rising cost of living, arguing that economic reforms should be assessed by their impact on ordinary Nigerians.

He said the government had a responsibility to reconsider policies if families, workers and young people continued to face worsening economic conditions.

Atiku also reiterated his proposal for a targeted production subsidy for petroleum products refined in Nigeria. He said the measure would support domestic refining while helping to reduce petrol prices for consumers.

The proposal has attracted criticism from the All Progressives Congress (APC), which has questioned its legal, fiscal and operational framework, including its compatibility with the Petroleum Industry Act and safeguards against abuse.

Atiku, however, maintained that his proposal differed from the previous open-ended subsidy regime on imported fuel.

“My promise to make life affordable again is not a political slogan. It is a solemn covenant with the Nigerian people,” he said.

He added that government support should prioritise locally refined fuel, create jobs and deliver measurable benefits to consumers.

“The purpose of government is not merely to announce reforms. The purpose of government is to make life better for the people,” he said.

Investigations Into Miners’ Deaths Continue

The deaths have triggered public concern and calls for accountability. President Bola Tinubu has ordered a full and transparent investigation into the incident.

The Federal Government has constituted a 10-member independent committee to establish the immediate and remote causes of the deaths. Twenty NSCDC officers, including the Niger State Commandant, have also been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.

The Niger State Government has separately inaugurated a nine-member judicial commission of inquiry to examine the incident, including questions of responsibility and accountability.

Survivors have alleged overcrowding and poor conditions at the detention facility. However, the cause of the deaths has not been conclusively established, and authorities say investigations and medical examinations are required to determine what happened.

Atiku’s visit comes as the federal and state-level inquiries continue.

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