Three people have died in Minna, the Niger State capital, following protests that erupted after a vigilante member allegedly shot and killed a man identified as Aliyu in the Kpakungu area of the city.

The Niger State Police Command confirmed the deaths on Sunday, saying the incident began on Saturday night when vigilante members mobilised to arrest suspected miscreants in the area.

According to the police, the vigilantes were attempting to make arrests at about 10:30 p.m. on October 3, 2026, when one of the members allegedly shot Aliyu dead.

Shooting Triggers Protest

The police said the shooting triggered protests in Kpakungu, prompting patrol teams to move into the area and restore calm.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said efforts were ongoing to arrest the vigilante member allegedly responsible for the shooting.

The police spokesman said the situation initially returned to normal after security personnel were deployed to the area.

However, according to him, some of the suspected miscreants regrouped in the early hours of October 4 and blocked the Bida-Minna Road while protesting the incident.

Two More People Killed

Abiodun said the protesters later moved to the Gbeganu area, where they allegedly attacked residents.

He said two people were killed during the attacks, bringing the total number of deaths linked to the incident to three, including Aliyu.

Police tactical teams were subsequently deployed to the area, where the protesters were dispersed and the Bida-Minna Road cleared for traffic.

The command said investigations were ongoing and that efforts were being made to apprehend the vigilante member allegedly responsible for the initial shooting.

Police Restore Normalcy

The police said security personnel remained deployed to prevent further violence and maintain order in affected parts of Minna.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths and the actions of those involved are expected to form part of the ongoing investigation.

Authorities have not indicated that any of those accused in connection with the violence has been convicted of an offence.