Niger Government House Stampede Claims Three Lives

A tragic stampede at the Niger Government House resulted in the deaths of three individuals on Tuesday night. The incident occurred when youths, reportedly linked to a planned protest over the recent deaths of 37 artisanal miners, were invited to the Government House to abandon their protest.

Among the deceased were Dije and her daughter Hurairat, both internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Allawa community in Shiroro Local Government Area. Hurairat's husband, Abubakar, had been killed by bandits in 2023.

Dije had visited Hurairat when they learned about a money distribution event at the Government House. Following the stampede, it was reported that Dije and Hurairat would be buried at 10 am on Wednesday.

Prior to the incident, some government appointees had posted on social media that the youths were gathering to show solidarity with Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago. The governor's Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, stated that the government would issue a statement later.

The Niger Police Command's spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, promised to verify the details of the incident.