Two people were confirmed dead and three others severely injured on Saturday following a violent clash during the local government elections in Niger State.
The incident occurred at the Central Ward of Kontagora Local Government Area, one of the 25 councils where elections were held across the state on November 1, 2025.
According to eyewitness who spoke with Sahara Reporters, tension had been brewing in Kontagora ahead of the polls after a local lawmaker was quoted as saying that ballot papers would not be distributed to polling units during the election.
A resident told SaharaReporters, “People were already angry before election day because of that statement. Many thought the officials planned to rig the election.”
Trouble reportedly began when a former Niger State Commissioner of Finance, Abdullahi Maikano, visited several polling units outside his registered voting area to observe the election process.
His presence was said to have angered some youths who accused him of interfering in the process and barred him from entering.
“The incident happened when former Niger State Commissioner of Finance Abdullahi Maikano visited some polling units different from his registered polling unit to observe the election process, but the youth restricted him, telling him that he would not be allowed since it was not his polling unit,” a witness said.
As Maikano attempted to leave after a heated exchange, the confrontation turned violent. Some of the youths began pelting stones at him, forcing security operatives to intervene.
“When he was leaving after the back-and-forth, some youths started throwing stones at him. That was when the police intervened and started shooting sporadically. Two people were confirmed dead and three others severely injured,” another eyewitness recounted.
Panic And Suspension Of Election
The sporadic gunfire caused panic among voters, with many fleeing the area for safety. Electoral officials subsequently suspended voting activities in the affected ward.
“People were running everywhere; the police were shooting, and it was chaotic. They later stopped the election in the Central Ward,” a voter said.
The identities of the deceased were yet to be officially confirmed as of press time, while the injured victims were reportedly taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
In a related development, another shooting was reported in Agaie Local Government Area during the same election, leaving one person injured. Details of the incident remain sketchy, but residents say it occurred near one of the polling units.
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