ADC Presidential Candidate Demands Justice as Investigations Into Deaths in NSCDC Custody Continue
Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has donated ₦20 million to the families of the 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.
The 37 detainees 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 the deaths remain under investigation.
At a meeting with affected families and survivors, Atiku described the deaths as a tragedy requiring truth, justice and accountability.
He said an account given by a survivor about the conditions in which the detainees were held was disturbing, while stressing that anyone in state custody is 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,” Atiku said, according to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
The former vice president also linked the incident to wider challenges of poverty, unemployment and the rising cost of living, saying government policies should address the economic conditions that push young Nigerians into hazardous work.
Atiku also restated his proposal for a targeted production subsidy on petroleum products refined in Nigeria, saying it would support domestic refining and reduce petrol prices. The proposal has been criticised by the All Progressives Congress over its legal, fiscal and operational implications.
He maintained that his proposal differs from the previous open-ended subsidy regime on imported fuel, saying government support should be tied to measurable benefits for consumers.
The Federal Government has constituted a 10-member independent investigative committee to determine the causes and circumstances of the deaths, while 20 NSCDC officers, including the Niger State Commandant, have been suspended.
The Niger State Government has also inaugurated a nine-member judicial commission of inquiry. The cause of the deaths has yet to be conclusively established, with investigations, medical examinations and survivors’ accounts forming part of ongoing efforts to determine what happened.