Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar says he will support Yusuf Aliyu’s education after the teenager’s account of conditions at a mining site gained widespread attention following the deaths of 37 detainees in NSCDC custody.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has offered to support the education of Yusuf Aliyu, a teenage artisanal miner from Niger State whose video account of conditions at a mining site went viral following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Atiku announced the offer on Sunday, September 20, 2026, in a statement posted on his official X account, saying Yusuf’s abilities should be nurtured through education rather than mining.
The former vice president, who is also the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, said he was moved by the teenager’s video and called for the protection of Yusuf and his family.
According to Atiku, he is prepared to support Yusuf’s education so that the teenager can pursue his studies and develop his potential.
Yusuf, who spoke to News Central Television in a video that has circulated widely online, alleged that NSCDC personnel shot at miners at a gold-mining site in Niger State. He also disputed the Corps’ initial explanation that the deaths of detainees were linked to a suspected disease outbreak.
“We are not into illegal mining. The Niger State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps does not have the right to shoot at us,” Yusuf said in the video.
The teenager’s allegations have not been independently established. The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain under investigation.
The 37 detainees died on September 17 after being arrested during NSCDC operations around the Lt. Gen. Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate and Lukoto areas of Niger State over suspected illegal mining activities. The NSCDC initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, while survivors reportedly raised concerns about overcrowding, ventilation, heat and dehydration. The actual cause of death has yet to be established.
The Federal Government has since constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the arrests, detention and deaths. The committee is also mandated to determine responsibility, negligence or misconduct and make recommendations. The Niger State Commandant and 20 other NSCDC officers have been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.
Atiku also questioned the persistent poverty and limited access to education in communities with significant mineral resources, while calling on the Federal Government to clarify the circumstances surrounding the deaths and the status of the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Development Initiative in Niger State.
He further urged that any attempt to contact Yusuf should be handled through his family and appropriate child-protection channels to prevent intimidation or other risks to the teenager.
The investigation into the deaths is ongoing, and the findings of the government-appointed committee are expected to provide further clarity on the circumstances surrounding the incident.
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