A tragic stampede in Bida, Niger State, has claimed the life of a young girl and left several others injured as thousands of residents gathered to receive cash handouts allegedly promised by Governor Umar Bago ahead of the November 1 local government elections.
The incident occurred near House 7, the governor’s lodge in Bida Local Government Area, where he has been staying in preparation for the polls.
According to eyewitnesses, the massive crowd had assembled after being told that Governor Bago would distribute money to residents. “Look at our people; this is a sign of hardship in Niger State,” one resident lamented, describing the scene as heartbreaking.
Another eyewitness explained that people were waiting for sums ranging between ₦2,000 and ₦10,000. “Just look at the number of people here — more than five or even ten thousand. This shows how much people are suffering,” he added.
The situation turned chaotic when news spread that the governor had arrived to commence the distribution. “He asked them to come around because he wanted to share money,” another witness said.
While some reports suggest that more than one person may have died, this could not be independently confirmed.
Sources disclosed that the crowd had gathered following the governor’s meeting with youths and stakeholders on Thursday, during which he allegedly directed that residents be informed to come for the cash distribution on Friday.
As of press time, it was unclear whether the governor eventually distributed the money, and he had yet to address the crowd.
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred. Early in Bago’s administration, similar gatherings at the Government House for ₦5,000 handouts were reportedly halted after a pregnant woman lost her baby, several people fainted, and others sustained injuries.
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