More than 68 men were crammed into one small detention facility, and conditions grew so desperate that detainees drank one another’s urine just to stay hydrated. Thirty-seven of them did not survive. They died on September 17, days after being arrested during NSCDC operations against suspected illegal mining in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State, and the cause of those deaths has not been conclusively established.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has donated N20 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.
He announced the donation on Tuesday during a visit to Minna, where he also paid a condolence visit to the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Farouk Bahago, and met with families and survivors.
During the same visit, Atiku also called on former military president General Ibrahim Babangida.
The miners were arrested by the NSCDC on September 15 and 16 during operations targeting suspected illegal mining activities in Niger State.
The cause of the deaths has not been conclusively established, with investigations ongoing.
The Federal Government has constituted a 10-member independent investigative committee to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths, and 20 NSCDC officers, including the Niger State Commandant, have been suspended pending the outcome of the probe.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said he was deeply troubled by what one survivor described to him directly.
“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.
Atiku said those who died in custody were entitled to humane treatment and protection under the law, 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.
“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,” Atiku said.
He also linked the incident to broader concerns over poverty, unemployment, and the rising cost of living, saying government policies should be assessed by their impact on ordinary Nigerians.
Atiku said the fact that many young Nigerians were being driven into hazardous and poorly regulated occupations should compel the government to confront deeper questions of poverty, unemployment, and the cost-of-living crisis.
He said Nigeria cannot secure its future without deliberately investing in its young people, expanding opportunities for them and enabling them to pursue legitimate and productive livelihoods.
At the state level, the Niger State Government has inaugurated a nine-member judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the incident and address issues of responsibility and accountability.
The cause of the deaths has not been conclusively established, with investigations ongoing at both the federal and state levels simultaneously.
Atiku, who is the ADC presidential candidate, also used the Minna visit to restate an economic proposal. The Federal Government has constituted a 10-member independent investigative committee, while 20 NSCDC officers, including the Niger State Commandant, have been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation. No charges have been announced against any officer as of Tuesday.
Atiku said the fact that many young Nigerians were driven into hazardous and poorly regulated occupations should compel the government to confront deeper questions of poverty, unemployment, and the cost-of-living crisis. He proposed a targeted production subsidy for petroleum products refined domestically, saying it would reduce fuel costs for consumers and create Nigerian jobs.
“My promise to make life affordable again is not a political slogan. The Federal Government has constituted a 10-member independent investigative committee to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths,” Atiku said, framing the two issues, custody deaths and economic hardship, as interconnected failures of governance.
The incident has sparked national outrage and involved the deaths of dozens of young men detained in connection with artisanal mining activities.
The exact circumstances surrounding the deaths remain under intense investigation. No date has been set for either inquiry to publish its findings.
A survivor told Atiku directly that more than 68 detainees 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.
Authorities have since opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The families of the 37 dead miners received the N20 million donation on Tuesday.
