BIDA: Tension erupted in Bida, Niger State, on Sunday when angry youths attacked the convoy of Governor Umar Bago, destroying several vehicles and injuring one of his aides following a failed cash distribution exercise.
Eyewitnesses told Reporters that the unrest broke out after residents who had gathered to receive financial handouts from the governor became furious when the process allegedly favoured only a few individuals.
The attack occurred near the town hall, where the governor’s convoy was ambushed by the mob, who pelted vehicles with stones and sachet water bottles. At least six vehicles were reportedly damaged in the chaos.
One of the victims, Jibrin Garkuwan Nupe, the Federal Character Commissioner representing Niger State, sustained injuries and was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Bida, for treatment.
Sources said the violence stemmed from an earlier promise made by Governor Bago to distribute cash gifts to residents ahead of the forthcoming local government elections.
Many residents reportedly waited in anticipation of the governor’s return to fulfil his pledge.
The governor promised that everyone would receive money, but only a few people got anything.
That’s when the youths started shouting and attacking,” one eyewitness explained.
The incident escalated quickly, with the mob later vandalising billboards belonging to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the governor in the area.
Witnesses said the aggrieved crowd accused Bago of deceit and neglect, chanting slogans against his administration.
Sunday’s attack comes barely days after a tragic stampede during another cash-sharing event allegedly organised by the governor in the same town. That incident reportedly claimed the life of a young girl and left several others injured, sparking outrage among residents and civil society groups who condemned the handling of the distribution.
Observers say the repeated chaos highlights the deepening frustration among citizens over unmet political promises and worsening economic hardship in the state.
Critics have accused the state government of using cash handouts as a campaign strategy ahead of the local elections rather than implementing sustainable empowerment programmes.
It’s dangerous to gather desperate citizens for handouts in this economic climate, a local political analyst said. These incidents show how poorly managed populist gestures can turn violent.
As of the time of filing this report, the Niger State Government had yet to issue an official statement on the attack, while security agencies have reportedly launched an investigation into the incident.
