Niger Govt Imposes 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Curfew in Minna

The Niger Government has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in Minna and its environs following the death of 37 artisanal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Gov. Mohammed Umaru Bago announced the curfew while addressing Federal Government officials, including the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, at the Government House, Minna.

Bago said the curfew, which would run from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., became necessary following violent protests by aggrieved youths over the deaths, during which a bank and government vehicles were attacked while some party offices were reportedly ransacked.

He said the Thursday violence also resulted in the vandalism of the fleet of the state-owned transport company and looting of businesses, stressing that the measure was aimed at restoring law and order and preventing further acts of vandalism.

The governor also announced the immediate suspension of all mining activities, both legal and illegal, across the state pending the conduct of soil tests. He appealed to residents to remain peaceful and orderly and urged parents and guardians to keep their children at home to prevent further escalation of the situation.

The Minister of Interior expressed the Federal Government’s sympathy to the families of the deceased, assuring that the incident would not be swept under the carpet. Tunji-Ojo said his ministry would collaborate with the Niger Government to investigate the incident and get to the root of the matter.