One killed as NISTMA officials clash with angry youths in Minna

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 - A violent clash between Niger State Traffic Management Agency, NISTMA, officials and some aggrieved youths at Kasuwan Gwari market in Minna, Niger State, resulted in one fatality and one injury, just as two suspects have been arrested in connection to the issue.

The incident occurred on Monday, September 15, 2025.

The fracas began when NISTMA officials arrested a motorcyclist suspected of transporting vandalized iron, which led to a scuffle.

Police officers intervened, but a group of youths mobilized, attacking both NISTMA and police personnel which resulted in the death of one person hit by stray bullets.

It was said that angered by the killing of one of them, the miscreants destroyed a police vehicle, blocked the road, and set tires on fire.

Some traders said when the police dispatched to calm the situation arrived, it turned more violent, especially with the sporadic shooting into the air to disperse the angry crowd which resulted in the death of one person.

“All I can say is that the situation turned violent with the death of one person,” a source said.

They called on the state governor, Mohammed Umar Bago to remove the officials of NISTMA from the market and launch an investigation into the issue..

Confirming the situation, the Police Command, through the Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun said “on 15/9/2025 at about 10am, a distress call was received from Kasuwan-Gwari that NISTMA personnel intercepted a motorcyclist with some suspected vandalised iron.”

Abiodun explained that in the course of interrogation, there was a little rancour between them.

According to him, the Operation Flush Police patrol team of ‘A’ Division who were on routine patrol intervened to resolve the issue.

However, the PRO disclosed that a group of scavengers/miscreants mobilised, attacked both the policemen and NISTMA personnel, damaging police vehicles, barricaded the road, and were burning tyres.

“The Police Command quickly mobilised reinforcements to the scene and minimum force was used against the riotous assembly and the road was cleared,” he stated.

He further added that over ten suspects were arrested from the scene and are under investigation.