Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has offered to sponsor the education of Yusuf Aliyu, a young boy featured in a video from a mining community in Niger State, expressing concern over the poverty and deprivation facing children in mineral-rich communities.
Atiku, in a statement reacting to the video, also appealed for the safety of the boy and his family, warning against possible intimidation or retaliation.
He said arrangements to reach Yusuf must be handled responsibly through his family and appropriate child-protection channels.
The former vice president questioned how a community endowed with gold could remain impoverished, leaving children without access to education and opportunities.
He blamed the situation on the administration of President Bola Tinubu, arguing that communities producing the country’s mineral wealth continued to experience poverty despite the Federal Government’s control of mineral resources.
Atiku also questioned the status of the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative (PAGMI), established under former President Muhammadu Buhari to register, train and integrate artisanal miners into the formal economy, with Niger State among its intervention areas.
He accused the Tinubu administration of replacing the initiative’s approach with raids and detentions targeting artisanal miners.
Atiku further called on the Federal Government to explain what had become of PAGMI in Niger State and address the reported deaths of 37 Nigerians in the custody of a federal agency.
He said the description of the affected persons as illegal miners should not diminish their humanity or excuse their deaths.
Atiku added that the gold beneath the community should create educational opportunities and livelihoods rather than leave residents trapped in poverty.
