At least three pipo don die and six odas dey critically injured afta stampede wey happen for Niger State Government House inside Minna on Tuesday evening. Source close to state government wey attend the event tell SaharaReporters say di incident start afta Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago gather youths for Government House.
According to di source, di governor invite di youths come Government House as dem dey plan fresh protest inside Minna over death of 37 suspected illegal miners wey die while dem dey inside custody of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.
Di source talk say there was stampede for Government House today and three pipo die as a result. Six youths dey critical condition. Di governor gather pipo for Government House dis evening to share money. Na im make pipo dey there. Dem leave Government House gate open, everywhere choke. Di governor dey state. Dem get plan to do protest on Thursday. So he gather youths to tell dem say make dem disassociate themselves from di protest. From there, he start to share money.
Di source add say large crowd gather for Government House afta dem leave gate open, and dat cause overcrowding and di stampede. Di planned protest dey linked to growing anger over death of 37 suspected illegal miners wey die inside NSCDC custody inside Minna.
Di victims dey among scores of pipo wey dem arrest during anti-illegal mining operations for M. I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16. Dia death happen on September 17. Di deaths recently trigger protests inside Minna, as demonstrators demand justice and accountability. Security forces deploy tear gas and open fire during di unrest, while state government impose curfew to contain di situation.
Cause of di 37 deaths still dey under investigation. Federal Government don constitute 10-member independent investigative committee to establish wetin surround di deaths. Police spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun, refer SaharaReporters to governor press secretary for verification but he no provide di press secretary contact details. Niger State Government never publicly comment on di incident at di time of publication.
Another report from Daily Trust talk say di incident happen when dem invite some youths wey dem suspect say get link to planned protest over death of 37 miners so dat dem go withdraw di plan. Injured pipo dey receive treatment for Minna General Hospital, and di incident happen Tuesday night.
Among di dead na woman called Dije and her daughter, Hurairat. Both of dem na refugees from Allawa village inside Shiroro Local Government Area. Report talk say armed men kill Hurairat husband, Abubakar, wey be butcher, for 2023 along Allawa to Pandogari road. Afta di attack and as Allawa community scatter, Hurairat return to Minna where she live as refugee. Dije, wey dey stay with her husband as refugee for Gurmana, go meet her daughter Hurairat. Na den dem hear say governor go share money for Government House, so dem head there.
Mallam Musa Allawa, one of di refugees, talk say dem go bury Dije and Hurairat by 10am on Wednesday. Some sources, including officials wey governor appoint, post for social media before di stampede say youths gather for Government House to show support for Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago. One official talk say later some pipo, including women, rush come Government House afta dem hear say governor go share N10,000 to those wey gather.
When dem contact Secretary for Information for Niger State Governor, Bologi Ibrahim, he talk say government go issue statement later. Police spokesperson SP Wasiu Abiodun promise say he go give explanation afta dem finish gather information.
