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 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, according to a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
The 37 miners died on September 17, days after they were arrested during NSCDC operations against suspected illegal mining in the Wushishi and Lukoto areas of the State.
The circumstances surrounding their deaths are under investigation.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a full investigation into the incident, while the Ministry of Interior said a federal investigative committee would establish whether there was responsibility, negligence or misconduct and recommend appropriate action.
Speaking to the affected families and survivors, Atiku described the deaths as a tragedy requiring truth, justice and accountability.
He said the account given by one of the survivors about the conditions at the detention facility was disturbing.
‘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 said the deaths raised questions about the treatment of people held in state custody, 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.
Atiku also linked the incident to wider economic pressures, including poverty, unemployment and the rising cost of living, arguing that government policies should be assessed by their effect on 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.
‘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.
The ADC candidate also restated his proposal for a targeted production subsidy for petroleum products refined in Nigeria, saying it would support domestic refining and reduce petrol prices for consumers.
The proposal has been criticised by the All Progressives Congress over its legal, fiscal and operational framework, including its compatibility with the Petroleum Industry Act and safeguards against abuse.
Atiku said his proposal differed from the previous imported-fuel subsidy regime.
‘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 government should create conditions that enable young Nigerians to pursue legitimate livelihoods rather than turn to hazardous activities because of 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 said.