Youths in Bida attacked Governor Umar Bago’s convoy after a failed cash-sharing event.
Several vehicles were damaged and one government aide was injured during the violent incident.
Tension erupted in Bida, Niger State, on Sunday as angry youths attacked the convoy of Governor Umar Bago, leaving several vehicles damaged and a senior government official injured after a failed cash distribution exercise.
According to multiple eyewitnesses, the governor had earlier urged residents to gather at the town hall on Friday, promising financial gifts ahead of the upcoming local government elections. The crowd, made up of hundreds of residents, reportedly assembled in anticipation of receiving money from the state government.
However, the situation took a violent turn when only a few individuals benefited from the cash handout, leaving many others disappointed and frustrated. “The governor promised that everyone would get something, but only a few did. That’s when the youths started shouting and attacking,” a resident told reporters.
Eyewitnesses said the angry mob began pelting the governor’s convoy with stones and sachet water as it passed through the town hall area, resulting in the destruction of at least six official vehicles. A senior government aide was also said to have sustained injuries during the chaos.
The unrest did not end there, as the youths reportedly went on to vandalize campaign billboards belonging to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor Bago across different parts of the town. Another witness explained that the attack was triggered by anger over unfulfilled promises. “People waited for him to fulfil his promise. When he didn’t, they lost control,” the source said.
Sunday’s violence came just days after a tragic stampede during a similar cash-sharing event in Bida, allegedly linked to the governor’s political outreach. That earlier incident claimed the life of a young girl and left several others injured.
