Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President and the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has given N20 million to the families of the 37 artisanal miners who lost their lives while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.
Atiku made the donation public on Tuesday while visiting Minna, where he also offered his condolences to the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Farouk Bahago, and held meetings with the families and survivors of the tragedy.
The 37 detainees passed away on September 17, several days after being arrested during NSCDC operations targeting suspected illegal mining in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State. What caused the deaths has still not been definitively determined, as investigations continue.
The Federal Government has set up a 10-member independent investigative committee to determine the circumstances behind the deaths, and 20 NSCDC officers, among them the Niger State Commandant, have been suspended while the investigation is carried out.
Addressing the affected families and survivors, Atiku called the incident a tragedy that demanded truth, justice and accountability.
He noted that the account provided by one of the survivors regarding the conditions the detainees were kept in was troubling.
“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 in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
Atiku stated that those who died in custody 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 also connected the incident to wider worries about poverty, unemployment, and the growing cost of living, stating that government policies ought to be judged by how they affect ordinary Nigerians.
“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.
He also restated his plan to provide a targeted production subsidy for petroleum products refined within Nigeria, noting that it would bolster domestic refining and lower fuel costs for consumers. ↻
“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.
Atiku emphasized that the government needs to create conditions that enable young Nigerians to earn a legitimate living, instead of being pushed into dangerous activities by economic hardship.
“The purpose of government is not merely to announce reforms. The purpose of government is to make life better for the people,” he added.
These deaths have sparked public concern as well as investigations by federal authorities and the Niger State government.
In addition, the state government has set up a nine-member judicial commission of inquiry to look into the incident along with questions of responsibility and accountability.
