Miners’ deaths: Atiku donates N20m to bereaved families, demands justice

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has donated N20 million to families of suspected artisanal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State.

Atiku made the donation on Tuesday during a visit to Minna, where he met families and survivors of the incident involving 37 suspected miners.

He also paid a condolence visit to the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Farouk Bahago, and visited former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (retd.).

In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the deaths required a full account of what happened and accountability from those responsible.

He said the experience recounted by one of the survivors was particularly disturbing, alleging that more than 68 detainees were held in a single facility under severe conditions.

“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.

He argued that detainees, regardless of the allegations against them, were entitled to humane treatment and protection under the law.

“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,” he said.

Atiku also linked the incident to wider concerns over poverty, unemployment and the rising cost of living, saying economic hardship was pushing young Nigerians towards dangerous and poorly regulated means of earning a livelihood.

“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.

The former vice president further criticised the economic policies of the Bola Tinubu administration, arguing that government must consider the effect of its reforms on households and young people.

He said any economic reform should ultimately improve the living conditions of Nigerians rather than deepen hardship.

Atiku also restated his proposed approach to reducing the cost of living if elected president, including a targeted production subsidy for petroleum products refined domestically.

He said the policy would support local refineries, create jobs and ensure that government intervention translates into lower prices for consumers.

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

He added that his proposed policy would focus on supporting domestic production rather than returning to an open-ended subsidy regime for imported fuel.