Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has donated ₦20 million to the families of the 37 artisanal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, Niger State.
Atiku made the donation on Tuesday during a visit to Minna, where he also paid a condolence visit to the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Bahago.
The 37 detainees died on September 17, days after they were arrested during NSCDC operations targeting suspected illegal mining activities in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain under investigation.
The Federal Government has constituted a 10-member independent investigative committee to determine the immediate and remote causes of the deaths, while 20 NSCDC officers, including the Niger State Commandant, have been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.
The Niger State Government has also inaugurated a nine-member judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the incident, including questions of responsibility and accountability.
Atiku demands justice
Speaking during a meeting with the affected families and survivors, Atiku described the deaths as a tragedy that required truth, justice and accountability.
He said an account given by one of the survivors about the conditions in which the detainees were held was particularly disturbing.
A statement by Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, quoted the former vice president as saying, “It was a gory tale listening to one of the survivors. He told us that more than 68 of them were crammed into one small detention facility and that conditions became so desperate that they had to drink one another’s urine just to stay hydrated.”
Atiku said the detainees were 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 said the incident should also prompt the government to examine the economic circumstances that drive young Nigerians into hazardous and poorly regulated occupations.
“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,” he said.
Atiku links tragedy to economic hardship
The ADC chieftain linked the incident to broader concerns over poverty, unemployment and the rising cost of living, arguing that the success of economic policies should ultimately be measured by their impact on ordinary Nigerians.
“Economic reform must ultimately be measured by what it does to the lives of ordinary people. If life becomes progressively more difficult for families, workers and young people, then government has a responsibility to reconsider the choices producing those outcomes,” he said.
Atiku also restated his proposal for a targeted production subsidy for petroleum products refined in Nigeria, saying the policy would support domestic refining while reducing petrol prices for consumers.
The proposal has drawn criticism from the All Progressives Congress, which has questioned its legal, fiscal and operational framework, including its compatibility with the Petroleum Industry Act and mechanisms to prevent 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.
“We will support what Nigeria produces. We will support fuel refined in Nigeria, create Nigerian jobs and insist that every naira of government support delivers a measurable benefit to the consumer,” he said.
He added that the government should create conditions that enable young Nigerians to pursue legitimate livelihoods rather than resort to dangerous activities out of economic necessity.
“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 underway
The deaths in Minna have generated public concern and prompted calls for accountability.
President Bola Tinubu ordered a full and transparent investigation, while the Interior Ministry said the federal investigative committee would determine responsibility, negligence or misconduct and recommend appropriate action where necessary.
Atiku’s visit came as investigations into the deaths continued, with the cause of the fatalities yet to be conclusively established.
Survivors have given accounts alleging overcrowding and poor conditions at the detention facility, while authorities have said further investigations and medical examinations are necessary to establish the cause of the deaths.
