A young girl has died and several others were injured in Bida, Niger State, during a stampede as thousands gathered to receive cash reportedly promised by Governor Umar Bago ahead of the November 1 LGA elections.
The incident happened near House 7, where the governor is lodging. Residents were said to have been told to come for money believed to be between N2,000 and N10,000. Witnesses said the crowd surged when rumours spread that the governor had arrived to distribute the cash.
Sources claim there may be more casualties, though this is yet to be confirmed. The governor has not addressed the crowd as of the time of the incident.
Similar scenes were previously reported early in Bago’s tenure, when weekly cash handouts at Government House reportedly led to injuries and a woman losing her pregnancy, prompting the programme to stop.
