Authorities in Niger State have imposed a curfew in Minna, the state capital, following an outbreak of protests. Zayyanu A Salihu, an advisor to the state governor on information dissemination, posted a statement on his Instagram page, announcing that the curfew would take effect after Friday prayers and last for 24 hours. Authorities have urged the public to respect the curfew.
A resident of Tunga Sabon Titi, who requested anonymity, told BBC that angry youths were looting while security personnel were shooting. He stated that security forces shot four people, and one of them died instantly. Initially, officials claimed that an illness was responsible for the death of youths suspected of illegal mineral mining.
The Niger State government has announced the formation of a committee to investigate the cause of the youths’ deaths. The situation has led Governor Mohammed Umar Bago to declare three days of mourning and suspend his campaign for re-election.