At least three people, including a mother and her daughter, have reportedly died while several others sustained injuries after a stampede at the Niger State Government House in Minna.
The incident occurred on Tuesday after Governor Umaru Bago reportedly ordered the distribution of N10,000 to youths who had gathered at the Government House in support of his administration.
Among those reportedly killed were Hulaira and her daughter, Dije, both internally displaced persons from Shiroro Local Government Area. They were said to have died at the General Hospital, Minna.
The third victim was reportedly another woman whose identity had yet to be established.
The crowd had reportedly converged on the Government House for a rally organised to demonstrate support for Bago and distance participants from a planned October 1 protest in Minna.
The gathering, however, reportedly descended into chaos when government officials began distributing the N10,000.
The rush for the money allegedly triggered a stampede, leaving several people injured.
The development comes amid heightened tension in Niger State following a series of security and social concerns, including the reported deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The state is also experiencing an ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai.
Ahead of the planned October 1 protest, some of Bago’s aides had urged youths to maintain peace and stay away from the demonstration.
The governor’s media relations aide, Alfa Kayan Bago, had earlier said some youths reportedly linked to plans for the protest visited the governor at the Government House and pledged their commitment to peace.
“The youths reportedly linked to plans for a protest in Niger State visited His Excellency, Farmer Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago, at Government House and reaffirmed their commitment to peace,” Kayan Bago said.
He quoted the youths as saying, “We are for peace. There will be no protest in Niger State.”
Kayan Bago added: “The message is clear. Let those who have ears listen. Bago Kawai……No Noise, Sai Result.”
Meanwhile, the remains of Hulaira and her daughter, Dije, were buried at the Unguwan Daji Mosque Cemetery in Minna on Wednesday.
Efforts to obtain confirmation from the Niger State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the command’s spokesman did not respond to enquiries about the incident.
As of the time of filing this report, the Niger State Government had not issued an official statement confirming the stampede, the reported deaths or the number of injured persons.
