By: Adelowo Oladipo, Minna
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.
