By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North-Central, in Minna)
Chaotic scenarios at the Niger state government House in Minna, the state capital on Tuesday evening turned bloody as no fewer than three persons lost their lives while several others sustained various degrees of injuries.
Details of the exact cause of the stampede is sketchy as two different theories has emerged from different unofficial sources indicting the state government for inviting undisclosed number of persons from adjoining communities to manage possible crowd surge.
Nigerian NewsLeader Newspaper Correspondent learnt that the Governor has invited people from the minning areas to prevail on them to shelve planned protest over the death of 37 artisanal miners which they suspected that the government was not doing enough to bring the NSCDC officials whose acts of negligence led to the deaths.
Another account said the crowd had gathered as a sign of solidarity with Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, his second term campaign flag-off which was canceled as a sign of honour for the departed souls.
However, prior to the gathering that ended in tragedy, some of the youths decided to mobilize their friends from other mining communities when rumour spread that the Governor will be giving out 10, 000 to all that was able to make to government house.
The momentum quickly shifted with rumours that cash disbursements of ₦10,000 per person would follow after the visit, and this according to the source triggered massive rush as hundreds of residents, including vulnerable men and women, destitutes and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
The people that got the hint about the gathering at government house did not inform only their friends, but every adult in most of the families that were affected joined and headed to government house when they heard that it was the Governor that invited them, and this according to source swelled the number of persons within the facility leading to overcrowding and stampede that ensued.
Sadly, while they struggled for the largees that came the governor, many of them were trampled upon, including the three persons that died while several others were rushed to health facilities in Minna where they're receiving emergency medical attention.
Among those that lost their lives is a middle-aged woman, Dije and her daughter, Hurairat, both from the IDPs camp who have spent several years outside their home in the conflict-torn Allawa village in Shiroro Local Government Area.
The daughter, Hurairat had relocated to Minna after the death of her husband, Abubakar, who was killed by armed bandits along the Allawa-Pandogari road in 2023.
Dije, who had been staying at a temporary shelter in Kuta due to insecurity, had accompanied her daughter to the Government House upon the rumour of financial relief from Governor Bago, but sadly both of them died in the stampede.
Mallam Musa Allawa, representing the displaced community, speaking on the condition of anonymity confirmed the deaths of the mother and daughter.
Efforts to contact the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Ibrahim Bologi and the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Niger state command, Abiodun Wasiu proved abortive as at the time of this report. NNL.
