At least three people have been killed following a clash between local vigilantes and aggrieved youths in the Kpakungu and Gbeganu areas of Minna, the Niger State capital.
The incident reportedly began at about 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 3, 2026, when a group of vigilantes mobilised to Kpakungu to arrest suspected miscreants.
According to the Niger State Police Command, a vigilante member allegedly shot and killed a man identified as Aliyu during the operation, triggering protests in the community.
The situation reportedly escalated in the early hours of Sunday, October 4, when some youths blocked the Minna-Bida Road to protest the killing before moving to the Gbeganu area, where they allegedly attacked residents.
Two more deaths were subsequently reported during the violence, bringing the total number of fatalities to three. Local sources said the two victims were buried in accordance with local customs.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said tactical teams had been deployed to the affected areas to disperse the rioters and restore normalcy.
He added that the Minna-Bida Road had been cleared to allow the free flow of traffic.
Abiodun said efforts were ongoing to apprehend the vigilante member suspected of firing the fatal shot, as well as other individuals allegedly involved in the violence.
The police command urged residents to remain calm and law-abiding, assuring the public that security personnel had been deployed to prevent further violence and maintain peace in the affected communities.
