Six youths lost their lives and several others were injured during a hunger protest in Suleja, Niger State, after police efforts to disperse the crowd turned violent. The protest began around 11 a.m. but escalated when anti-riot police, led by the Police Area Commander, intervened with teargas. The defiant protesters retaliated by throwing stones, sticks, and other objects, resulting in the vandalization of a police vehicle.
The situation intensified, leading the police to fire live ammunition, which resulted in the deaths of six people, including Nda Isah. In a related incident, youths in Tafa local government area attempted to burn down the Secretariat, damaging its gates and fence and setting a vehicle on fire while trying to loot the premises. The looting was prevented by the arrival of the Army and Police.
The protest caused significant disruption, with hundreds of travelers stranded for hours on the Suleja axis of the Abuja-Kaduna highway as protesters blocked the road. Despite the severe consequences, the police have not confirmed the deaths or injuries. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Wasiu Abiodun, acknowledged the vandalization of the Tafa local government secretariat but did not address the shooting or fatalities.
Abiodun’s statement detailed the events, noting that miscreants from Tafa and Hayin-Diko mobilized and vandalized the Secretariat, burning two cars and looting valuables. Eleven individuals were arrested with dangerous weapons, including firearms. The police and other security agencies responded to the blockage of the Abuja-Kaduna expressway, dispersing the hoodlums and reopening the road for traffic.
In Minna, the state capital, fear of the protests led to deserted shops, markets, and roads. Many businesses, including banks and filling stations, remained closed, and there was a heavy security presence throughout the city, particularly at the Central Bank branch and known hotspots like Kpakungun roundabout. Despite the tension, some eateries remained open, but most plazas and markets, including the Kure ultramodern market and Kasuwan Gwari market, were shut down.