RismadarVoice Reporters
September 20, 2026
The Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.
Mr Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), also offered to support the education of a young boy whose video discussing the plight of his community and its mineral wealth has circulated online.
In a statement, Mr Atiku said he had watched the boy’s video several times and was concerned that a child displaying what he described as intelligence and confidence was instead struggling in a community with significant gold deposits.
He said the boy should not be defined primarily by allegations of illegal mining, but seen as a Nigerian child whose circumstances had denied him access to better opportunities.
Mr Atiku also appealed for the boy’s safety, warning that his public statements should not expose him or his family to intimidation or retaliation.
He said he was prepared to assist with the child’s education, adding that any attempt to reach the boy should be made through his family and appropriate child-protection channels.
The former vice president used the development to question why communities with substantial mineral resources continue to experience poverty and limited access to basic opportunities.
He asked how communities that produce valuable minerals could remain without adequate schools, employment opportunities and other forms of development.
Mr Atiku blamed the administration of President Bola Tinubu for what he described as the failure to adequately address the challenges confronting mining communities.
He also criticised the government’s approach to artisanal mining, contrasting it with the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Development Initiative (PAGMI), established under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to Mr Atiku, PAGMI was designed to formalise artisanal mining, provide training and integrate miners into the formal economy.
He alleged that the current administration had instead relied heavily on enforcement operations against people involved in informal mining.
“Buhari saw people to formalise. Tinubu sees poor people to criminalise,” Mr Atiku said.
Mr Atiku also questioned the circumstances surrounding the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in NSCDC custody in Minna.
The deaths occurred after the suspects were arrested during operations targeting suspected illegal mining activities in Niger State.
The NSCDC initially said the detainees died following a suspected disease outbreak. However, questions have since been raised over the conditions in which the suspects were detained, with a survivor alleging severe overcrowding and inadequate ventilation.
The exact cause of the deaths has not been conclusively established.
Meanwhile, Niger State Governor Umaru Bago said investigations, including medical examinations and autopsies, were being conducted to determine what caused the deaths.
The Federal Government has also constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the incident. President Tinubu ordered a comprehensive investigation, while the Interior Ministry suspended officers linked to the detention of the victims pending the outcome of the probe.
Mr Atiku called for answers over the deaths, arguing that describing the victims as illegal miners should not diminish the need to establish what happened to them while in government custody.
He said the incident should prompt a broader examination of the country’s mining policies and the conditions in mineral-producing communities.
Mr Atiku said the experience of the young boy featured in the viral video should serve as a reminder of the potential being lost among children living in impoverished mining communities.
“As a father, a grandfather and a Nigerian, I refuse to look away,” he said.
He pledged to continue advocating for children affected by poverty and argued that mineral wealth should contribute to education, employment and community development.
“The gold beneath their community should build classrooms and livelihoods, not graves,” he said.
