By: Sunday Ameh
A young girl has died and several persons were injured in a stampede in Bida, Niger State, on Friday as thousands of residents scrambled to receive cash allegedly promised by Governor Umar Bago ahead of Saturday’s local government elections.
The incident occurred near House 7, the governor’s residence in Bida, where a massive crowd had gathered following reports that the governor would distribute money to supporters.
Eyewitnesses told journalists that thousands of people, including women and children, converged on the premises after being mobilised by political coordinators who informed them the governor would share between ₦2,000 and ₦10,000 each.
According to residents, panic broke out when word spread that the governor had arrived, causing a rush that led to the fatal stampede.
“People have been here since morning because they were told the governor would share money,” an eyewitness lamented. “This shows the level of hardship in Niger State. Mothers, fathers, youths — everyone came. It is painful that a child died just because her parents came to get ₦5,000.”
Sources suggested that more casualties may be recorded, with two other victims reportedly feared dead, though this could not be independently confirmed at press time.
Governor Bago had arrived in Bida on Thursday to mobilise support for the council election and reportedly instructed coordinators to gather residents at the venue for a cash distribution event on Friday.
As at the time of filing this report, the governor had not addressed the crowd, and it remains unclear whether the money was eventually shared.
This is not the first time such an incident has been linked to handouts by the Bago administration. Shortly after taking office, the governor held regular cash-sharing sessions at the Government House, where residents reportedly fainted and a pregnant woman lost her pregnancy, forcing the programme to be halted.
The police and Niger State government have yet to issue an official statement on the latest incident.
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