Atiku Donates ₦20m To Families of 37 Miners Who D!ed In Custody

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has given ₦20 million to the families of 37 artisanal miners who d!ed while in the custody of security forces in Minna, Niger State capital, recently.

Atiku made the donation on Tuesday during a visit to Minna where he also paid respects to the Emir of Minna.

The 37 people d!ed on September 17, days after being arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining in Niger State.

The Federal Government set up a ten-member independent panel to investigate the immediate and deeper reasons for the d£aths while 20 security officers, including the state commandant, have been suspended pending the outcome of the inquiry. 

Niger State also started a nine-member court panel to investigate the incident, including issues of who is responsible.

Speaking with the affected families and survivors, Atiku called the d£aths a tragedy needing truth, justice and accountability.

He said an account from one survivor about conditions in the holding facility was particularly troubling.

A survivor told him that more than 68 people were packed into one small facility and things got so bad they had to drink each other's urine just to stay hydrated. 

Atiku said those who d!ed in custody were owed humane treatment and protection under the law, no matter what they were accused of.

"No Nigerian should face such shame while held by their own government", Atiku said.

"These were human beings under state care.
Whatever was said about them, they deserved their lives, their dignity and the law's protection".

He said the incident should make government look at the money troubles pushing young Nigerians into risky, poorly run jobs.

"37 young Nigerians entered state custody alive and did not come back alive to their families", he said.

"That tragedy needs truth, justice and accountability".

Atiku linked the incident to wider problems of poverty, joblessness and rising costs, saying economic policy should be judged by how it affects ordinary Nigerians.

"Economic reform must ultimately be judged by what it does to normal people's lives", he said.

"If life gets harder for families, workers and young people, then government must rethink the choices causing that".