Ask Atiku Abubakar — Official Citizen Engagement Platform

What do you think should happen about the reports that 37 Nigerians died in NSCDC custody after an anti-mining operation?

I believe that allegation demands an immediate and independent criminal investigation. It cannot be resolved through an internal inquiry where government officials investigate government agents and hand down government-approved conclusions. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who supervises the NSCDC, has direct questions to answer about what happened in that agency's custody. Dele Alake must also account for the enforcement operations in the sector he supervises, because when 37 Nigerians die this way, silence is not neutrality - it is an abdication of responsibility.

Where this comes from

Article on X Article by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/2101341538831724700 2026-09-19 ›
“These Nigerians were arrested during an operation against alleged illegal mining and detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, an agency supervised by the Ministry of Interior. Survivors have alleged that they were crammed into an overcrowded, poorly ventilated cell where they struggled to breathe. “That allegation demands an immediate and independent criminal investigation. It cannot be resolved through an internal inquiry in which government officials investigate government agents and present government-approved conclusions to Nigerians. “Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has direct and unavoidable questions to answer. He supervises the agency in whose custody these Nigerians allegedly died. He cannot claim credit for the NSCDC’s achievements and then outsource responsibility when 37 people die in its custody. “Dele Alake must equally account for the enforcement operations surrounding the sector he supervises. Instead of confronting this catastrophe with the gravity it demands, he remained conspicuously silent while occupying himself with political propaganda. When 37 Nigerians die following an operation connected to your sector, silence is not neutrality; it is an abdication of responsibility.
Ask another question Talk to Atiku

← Ask your own question  ·  More answered questions