Bago Imposes 24-Hour Curfew on Minna as Vandalism, Protests Escalate

• Niger State Governor Umaru Bago has imposed an immediate 24-hour curfew on Minna, ordering businesses in the state capital to shut down after protests and acts of vandalism followed the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in NSCDC custody.

• The governor announced the curfew after receiving Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who visited Minna on a sympathy mission as the Federal Government moved to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

• Tension rose sharply in Minna as protesters vandalised public property and businesses, with reports of clashes between demonstrators and security personnel as authorities moved to prevent the unrest from degenerating into a wider breakdown of law and order.

• The deaths occurred after the suspects were arrested during anti-illegal-mining operations on September 15 and 16, with the NSCDC initially attributing the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak.

September 18, () – Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Minna, the state capital, following protests, vandalism and destruction of property triggered by the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of NSCDC.

Bago announced the measure on Friday after receiving the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who visited the state on a sympathy mission over the deaths.

The governor said the curfew would take effect immediately after Friday prayers and directed all businesses in Minna to close as the government and security agencies moved to restore calm.

He said the decision became necessary following the escalation of protests and attacks on public and private property.

“Immediately after the Friday mosque, we are putting a 24-hour curfew here in Minna. The buses in the state transport company have been vandalised, and people’s businesses destroyed. Vandals are taking over the streets, and there is a need to curtail all this to have calm,” Bago said.

The governor appealed to residents to remain calm and exercise restraint while the authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths and address the growing tension in the state capital.

The development came amid protests in Minna over the deaths of the 37 detainees, who were arrested during enforcement operations against illegal mining activities in parts of Niger State.

The suspects were arrested on September 15 and 16 around the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto axis of Minna in an operation conducted by the NSCDC as part of efforts to clamp down on illegal mining.

The NSCDC Niger State Command subsequently confirmed that detainees were found dead in the early hours of September 17.

The then State Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, said the deaths followed what the Corps described at the time as a suspected outbreak of disease. The bodies were deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination to determine the cause of death.

However, the circumstances surrounding the deaths have generated public outrage, with protests erupting in Minna and calls for a transparent investigation.

The Federal Government has since ordered a full investigation and suspended Aniviye, who was the commandant under whose watch the detainees died. Interior Minister Tunji-Ojo said the suspension would remain in force pending the outcome of the investigation.

The NSCDC has also constituted a high-powered investigative team to examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths, including the condition of the suspects when they were arrested, their period in custody, detention conditions and medical attention provided to them.

The Niger State Government has separately constituted a committee of inquiry, chaired by Deputy Governor Yakubu Garba, to investigate the incident. It also ordered forensic examinations and autopsies to establish the exact cause of death.

The protests have added another layer of tension to an already sensitive situation, with security agencies deployed across Minna to prevent further escalation.

Reports from the city said protesters confronted security personnel, while public property and businesses were attacked. Reuters reported that security forces fired live ammunition during Friday’s unrest, while the Associated Press reported that police used tear gas against protesters.

Bago, who described the situation as deeply concerning, thanked Tunji-Ojo for visiting the state and for the action taken over the NSCDC command.

He said the government remained committed to getting to the root of the incident and restoring normalcy to Minna.