Stray bullet injures vendor as police disperse Minna protest

A roadside engine oil vendor, Ibrahim Mohammed Dada, has been hospitalised after he was allegedly struck by a bullet while security operatives were dispersing protesters in Minna, Niger State.

Dada was reportedly hit at the Tunga Market on Thursday as police and other security personnel moved to disperse a crowd protesting the deaths of 37 suspected artisanal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The protests, which started on Thursday, continued on Friday, with security operatives reportedly firing shots and tear gas as they tried to disperse demonstrators.

When a correspondent visited the Minna General Hospital on Friday, Dada was receiving treatment.

His elder brother, Yakubu Dada Mohammed, said the vendor had not taken part in the protest and was attending to his business when he was allegedly shot.

“Ibrahim was not participating in the riot or protest. He was standing in front of his kiosk where he sells engine oil when one of the police officers fired a gun in his direction and a bullet penetrated his head and destroyed his entire face,” Mohammed said.

He appealed to the authorities to investigate the incident and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.

The shooting occurred amid heightened tension in Minna following the deaths of 37 suspected artisanal miners who were among 65 people arrested by the NSCDC during enforcement operations on September 15 and 16.

The 37 suspects reportedly died while in NSCDC custody on Thursday, prompting protests and demands for answers from authorities.

The cause of the miners’ deaths has not been established, with authorities ordering investigations and medical examinations to determine what happened.

Meanwhile, the Niger State Police Command has called for calm over the protests and the reported shooting of the vendor.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said the incident would be investigated.