Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress 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 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 miners 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.
The Federal Government has established a 10-member independent investigative committee to determine 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 investigate the incident, including issues of responsibility and accountability.
Speaking during his meeting with the affected families and survivors, Atiku described the incident as a tragedy that required truth, justice and accountability.
He said the account given by one of the survivors about the conditions in which the detainees were held was disturbing. According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the survivor alleged that more than 68 people were held in a small detention facility and that the conditions became so severe that some detainees resorted to drinking urine to survive.
Atiku said the deceased were entitled to humane treatment and protection under the law, regardless of the allegations against them.
He also linked the incident to broader challenges of poverty, unemployment and the rising cost of living, arguing that government policies should take into account their impact on ordinary Nigerians.
The ADC presidential candidate further reiterated his proposal for a targeted production subsidy for petroleum products refined in Nigeria. He said the proposal was intended to support domestic refining, create jobs and reduce petrol prices for consumers.
The All Progressives Congress has criticised the proposal, questioning its legal, fiscal and operational framework, including its compatibility with the Petroleum Industry Act and safeguards against abuse.
Atiku maintained that his proposal would differ from the previous open-ended subsidy regime on imported fuel.
He also called on the government to create conditions that would enable young Nigerians to pursue legitimate livelihoods rather than turn to dangerous activities because of economic hardship.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a full and transparent investigation into the deaths, while the Ministry of Interior said the federal investigative committee would determine whether responsibility, negligence or misconduct contributed to the incident and recommend appropriate action.
Investigations are still ongoing, and the exact cause of the deaths has yet to be conclusively established. Survivors have alleged overcrowding and poor detention conditions, while authorities say medical examinations and further investigations are necessary to determine the cause of the fatalities.
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