Niger miners’ deaths: Atiku demands answers from Tinubu, ministers
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has demanded answers from President Bola Tinubu and Ministers Dele Alake and Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo over the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State.
Atiku said the incident required more than the suspension of officials, calling for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The former vice president made the demand in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, on Saturday.
He questioned how 37 people who were arrested alive during mining enforcement operations ended up dead while in government custody.
“Thirty-seven Nigerians, many of them teenagers, entered government custody alive. Thirty-seven of them died there,” Atiku said.
He said Tunji-Ojo should provide answers because the NSCDC operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior.
Atiku also questioned Alake’s role in enforcement operations against illegal mining, while arguing that Tinubu ultimately bears responsibility for the activities of agencies under his administration.
The former vice president called for a criminal investigation into reports concerning the conditions under which the detainees were held.
He urged authorities to establish who authorised the operation, who ordered the arrests, how many people were detained and who was responsible for their welfare while they were in custody.
Atiku also called for the preservation of detention records, operational and communication records, medical reports and available surveillance footage.
He further demanded independent autopsies and called for the families of the deceased to be represented during the investigation.
The former vice president said efforts to tackle illegal mining should not deprive suspects of their rights while in government custody.
“Illegal mining is robbing Nigeria of its resources, destroying communities and threatening national security. It must be confronted firmly. But fighting illegal mining is not a licence for state agents to arrest citizens alive and return their bodies to their families,” he said.
The Federal Government has ordered a full investigation into the deaths and suspended officials linked to the incident. President Tinubu also directed that any official found to have contributed to the deaths through action, abuse or negligence should be prosecuted.
The NSCDC has said the actual cause of death has not been established, with medical and forensic examinations required to determine what happened.
Atiku said the findings of the investigation should be made public and anyone found responsible should be held accountable.
