Niger mining site boy: Group praises Atiku for scholarship offer

The Rise Up Naija (RUN) movement has lauded former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for his intervention in the life of Yusuf Aliyu, an articulate teenager discovered working at a mining site in Niger State.

The group asserts that the gesture underscores the former Vice President’s long-standing vision for education and leadership.

In a statement signed by the Spokesman Comrade Usman Okai Austin, the group—a civic support organization within the African Democratic Congress (ADC)—stated that Atiku’s decision to offer a full scholarship to the youth highlights the qualities required of the next Nigerian president.

Comrade Okai praised the thoroughness of the initiative, noting that the former Vice president & Presidential candidate of the African Democratic congress(ADC) did not merely announce the scholarship from afar. By inviting Yusuf and his parents to his Abuja residence, Atiku demonstrated a “fatherly figure” and a commitment to due diligence.

The Presidential candidate is also scheduled to pay a condolence visit to the people and Government of Niger state over this unfortunate incident.

Crucially, the statement highlighted that Atiku had proactively called for child-protection measures to ensure that the assistance provided does not result in intimidation or retaliation against the boy’s family. “Atiku’s call for the protection of Yusuf’s life and that of his family shows he cares not just for education, but for the safety of the vulnerable,” the statement read.

The RUN movement took a swipe at the administration of President Bola Tinubu, questioning the government’s inability to identify and prosecute the owners of mining sites where children are employed. The group further criticized the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, labeling his performance as a failure.

“The government is hiding the identity of the mining site owners. We are witnessing atrocities in the mining sector that require a government truly ready to govern,” Okai stated. He argued that the committee set up by the administration to investigate the matter must not be reduced to a “mere damage control mechanism” for the public.

The group alleged that illegal miners are exploiting the widespread poverty and unemployment created by the current APC-led administration. Okai declared that Nigerians must take a stand to ensure a change in leadership at the Aso Rock Villa, asserting that an Atiku presidency would prioritize equal opportunities for all citizens, regardless of social class.

“A lot of atrocities are happening in the mining sector that need a government that is ready for governance to end them,” the statement concluded. The group further urged the investigative committee to remain accountable to the Nigerian people rather than to the government officials who have presided over the sector’s decline.

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