Tensions flared in Minna, Niger State, as a violent clash between artisanal miners and suspected hoodlums spiraled into chaos, culminating in the tragic death of a Keke NAPEP rider. The incident unfolded on Friday during an altercation fueled by disputes over mining rights, leaving the city shaken.
The conflict began on Thursday in areas like Metunbi and Tunga Bye Pass, reportedly triggered by disputes over access to mining locations. Eyewitnesses described how the clash escalated when hoodlums attacked a miner, severing his hand, which provoked violent retaliation. Residents and business owners in the affected areas fled for safety as shops and homes were hurriedly locked to avoid the violence.
On Friday, the miners regrouped for revenge, armed and combing the city for their attackers. Their presence created widespread panic among residents, leading to further closures of businesses and homes. The situation escalated near the MI Wushishi Estate gate when a joint security patrol team of police, civil defense personnel, and vigilantes arrived to restore order.
During the security intervention, an onlooking Keke NAPEP rider, a Hausa man who was reportedly uninvolved in the fracas, was shot and killed. Eyewitnesses alleged that a civil defense officer fired the fatal shots, though the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) denied the claim, stating that the matter was under investigation.
The incident caused an uproar among Keke NAPEP operators, who carried their colleague’s body, along with his tricycle, to the City Gate in protest. They blocked the road, demanding justice and insisting that the governor and Commissioner of Police address them directly. The protest paralyzed movement on the road for hours as tensions simmered.
Eyewitnesses like Yakubu Abubakar described the preceding chaos, highlighting the miners’ determination to protect what they saw as their rights and the hoodlums’ insistence that mining resources belonged to all Nigerlites. The conflict saw the hoodlums brandishing weapons and the miners retaliating fiercely, creating a volatile environment in Minna.
A Keke operator, Anosike Jonathan, recounted the events leading to the shooting, stating that security operatives arrived and attempted to take positions to quell the unrest when gunshots rang out, striking the innocent rider.
The NSCDC spokesman, Mohammed Muti, denied involvement by their personnel, maintaining that their team arrived after the shooting and arrested two individuals linked to the initial clashes. Meanwhile, the Niger State Commissioner of Police, Shawulu Danmamman, confirmed that investigations were ongoing but refrained from providing further details.
As both the miners and Keke NAPEP operators demand justice, the incident has highlighted the fragile state of security and the tension surrounding resource disputes in Niger State. The government’s response and the outcome of the investigation are expected to play a crucial role in calming the unrest.
