Three Feared Dead, Several Injured In Niger Government House Stampede

By Al-Amin Ciroma 

At least three people have reportedly died and several others sustained injuries following a stampede at the Niger State Government House in Minna on Tuesday night.

The National Lens reports that the incident occurred as a large crowd gathered at the Government House amid reports that Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago was expected to distribute cash to people who had converged on the premises.

Six of the injured victims were reportedly in critical condition and receiving medical attention at the Minna General Hospital.

Sources familiar with the development said the gathering was initially linked to efforts to dissuade youths from participating in a planned protest over the recent deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

According to one account, the crowd became uncontrollable after the Government House gate was left open, allowing more people to enter the premises.

The situation reportedly worsened when word spread that N10,000 would be distributed to people at the venue, attracting additional residents, including women.

Two of those reported dead were identified as Dije and her daughter, Hurairat, both displaced persons from Allawa community in Shiroro Local Government Area.

Hurairat had reportedly been living in Minna after her husband, Abubakar, was killed by bandits in 2023 along the Allawa-Pandogari Road.

The two women were said to have gone to the Government House after hearing that the governor would be distributing money to people gathered there.

A resident of the Allawa community, Musa Allawa, said the bodies of Dije and Hurairat were scheduled for burial on Wednesday morning.

The reported stampede comes barely two weeks after the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in NSCDC custody triggered public anger and protests in Minna. The circumstances surrounding those deaths remain under investigation.

The Niger State Government had not issued a detailed official statement on the stampede at the time of filing this report. The governor's Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, however, said the government would make its position known in due course, while the state police spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said he would verify the incident.