African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has expressed deep concern over the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State, while calling for accountability and greater protection for vulnerable Nigerians.

In a statement responding to a video featuring a young boy, Yusuf Aliyu, Atiku said the child’s intelligence, confidence and circumstances had raised troubling questions about poverty, access to education and the management of Nigeria’s mineral resources.

Atiku said he had watched the video repeatedly and described the boy not primarily as an alleged illegal miner, but as a Nigerian child whose potential had been overshadowed by poverty.

“A child with such intelligence, clarity and confidence should be in a classroom building his future—not struggling for survival in a community surrounded by gold but buried in poverty,” Atiku said.

Atiku Appeals for Yusuf Aliyu’s Safety

The former Vice President specifically appealed for Yusuf Aliyu’s safety, warning that the attention generated by the video should not expose the child or his family to intimidation or retaliation.

Atiku said he was prepared to support the boy’s education and stressed that any effort to reach him should be handled responsibly through his family and appropriate child-protection channels.

Beyond the individual case, Atiku said the video raises wider questions about the condition of communities located in areas with significant mineral resources.

“How can a community sitting upon gold remain so poor that it cannot educate its children?” he asked, questioning how mineral wealth could leave the soil while residents continue to experience deprivation.

Atiku Questions Government’s Handling of Artisanal Mining

Atiku criticised the Federal Government’s approach to vulnerable people involved in artisanal mining, arguing that economic hardship and limited opportunities have pushed some Nigerians into dangerous forms of informal work.

He contrasted the current situation with the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Development Initiative (PAGMI), which was launched under former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 to promote the formalisation and integration of artisanal and small-scale gold mining into Nigeria’s legal and economic framework.

According to the State House, PAGMI was designed to address challenges including rural poverty and the lack of alternative livelihoods, with interventions planned for gold-producing states including Niger, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi and Osun.

Atiku questioned what became of the programme in Niger State and whether its objectives had been sustained.

“The government must explain what became of PAGMI in Niger State and how 37 Nigerians died in the custody of a federal agency. Calling them ‘illegal miners’ cannot erase their humanity or excuse their deaths,” he said.

37 Nigerians Died in NSCDC Custody

The deaths have triggered investigations at both state and federal levels. Niger State Governor Umar Bago confirmed that 37 suspected illegal miners died while in NSCDC custody, while the Federal Government subsequently constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The Federal Government also ordered the suspension of officers connected to the incident pending the outcome of the investigation. The committee was directed to examine the circumstances surrounding the arrests, detention and deaths and submit its report within two weeks.

Atiku said the investigation should provide clear answers to the families of the deceased and Nigerians seeking accountability.

Atiku Links Mining Crisis to Poverty and Opportunity

He argued that Nigeria’s mineral wealth should translate into better opportunities, education, employment and improved living conditions for communities where those resources are found.

He said the situation highlighted a broader contradiction in Nigeria’s economy: communities can possess valuable natural resources while residents struggle to meet basic needs.

Atiku also questioned why vulnerable miners were being exposed to enforcement operations while, in his view, greater attention should be paid to the wider networks that finance and profit from illegal mining.

“Their Lives Matter and Their Future Belongs to Nigeria”

Atiku said his concern extends beyond the immediate circumstances surrounding the deaths, stressing that Nigeria must create pathways for young people to develop their potential rather than leaving them trapped in poverty.

“As a father, a grandfather and a Nigerian, I refuse to look away. I will continue to speak for these children because their lives matter, their dreams matter and their future belongs to Nigeria,” he said.

He concluded by calling for a system in which Nigeria’s mineral resources contribute to the development of mining communities rather than worsening their deprivation.

“The gold beneath their community should build classrooms and livelihoods, not graves.”