Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has offered to support the education of Yusuf Aliyu, a teenage artisanal miner in Niger State whose account of life at a gold mining site has gone viral.
Aliyu’s video attracted renewed attention following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State.
The Federal Government has constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the deaths, including the circumstances surrounding the miners’ arrest, detention and deaths.
In a statement posted on X on Sunday, Atiku said he was concerned that Aliyu, whom he described as intelligent and confident, was working at a mining site instead of attending school.
Atiku said the teenager’s situation highlighted the hardship faced by young people in communities where mineral resources are being exploited.
He said he was prepared to support Aliyu’s education and urged that any effort to reach the teenager should be made through his family and appropriate child-protection channels.
Atiku also appealed for Aliyu’s safety, warning that the attention generated by his story should not expose the teenager or his family to intimidation or retaliation.
Aliyu, who spoke to News Central Television, alleged that NSCDC personnel shot at miners at the gold mining site. He also disputed the initial explanation that the deaths in custody were linked to a suspected disease outbreak.
The teenager said young people at the mining site worked to support their families and pay their school fees.
The exact cause and circumstances of the 37 deaths remain subject to investigation. The Federal Government’s independent panel is expected to examine the arrests and detention, establish the cause of death and determine responsibility where appropriate.
The Federal Government initially announced the suspension of the Niger State NSCDC commandant and 20 other officers in connection with the incident. The NSCDC later said the number of personnel detained in connection with the deaths had risen to 24 after three additional officers were identified.
The investigation committee, constituted by Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has two weeks to complete its work and submit its report. It has powers to access relevant facilities and documents, visit locations connected to the incident and receive memoranda from members of the public.
Atiku also questioned the persistence of poverty in communities where mineral resources are extracted and called for greater attention to education and livelihoods in mining communities.
He said mineral wealth should translate into opportunities for residents rather than leave children with few alternatives but to engage in hazardous work because of poverty.
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