Residents of Minna, the Niger state capital, have been under serious pressure and danger following the resurgence of street fights and restiveness.
In the last two years, youth restiveness and fights have become constant occurrences in Minna resulting to the death of many people with several others injured while property worth millions of Naira have been destroyed or pilfered during such incidents.
When Governor Umaru Bago assumed office last year the situation seems to have been mitigated but in the past two weeks, the situation is coming back in its most deadly form.
Last weekend one person was killed and scores injured during street fights. Most of the victims were passers-by while innocent shop owners had their shops burgled and valuables worth millions of naira carted away.
A resident of Maitumbi area where the latest incident occurred, Malam Babale Umar said that he ran into them and they were about to collect his motorcycle but decided to collect his phone and that of his wife instead.
He said that, “they rounded us up and threaten us with knives, cutlasses, small axes and other dangerous weapons. They initially wanted to collect my motorcycle but they settled for our telephone sets.”
Another victim who sustained minor injury during the restiveness, Mohammed Ibrahim, alleged that “they are acting under the influence of illicit drugs. They acted with impunity, they broke into people’s shops and pilfered wares and attacked those who tried to resist.
“I was shocked by the actions of the boys who are not up to the age of my children. Despite the presence of police and other security agents at the corner trying to stop them, they attacked people, broke cars’ windscreen and were having a field day.”
Sani Kareem who said he narrowly escaped the attack said the boys, from their looks, were acting under the influence of drugs.
He said some of the provision shops and some patent medicine stores were the ones who sell the drugs to the youth who are barely 18 years old.
Another resident of Minna, John Usman said the restiveness cannot be separated from drug use and abuse. “It is obvious the people in position of authority know it,” he alleged.
After the last weekend incident, the chairman of Chanchaga local government area, Aminu Ladan accompanied security agents to trace those who ran into the bushes after the incident.
Sources hinted that arrests have been made and confessional statements were made by the youths and have given the spots that they get drugs.
The chairman of Chanchaga local government, in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP Weekend, has stated that the local government area will henceforth beam searchlights on the super markets and pharmaceutical stores selling the drugs to the youths.
He also directed that all houses where the restive youths are accommodated be demolished including the shops selling the drugs to them.
As a result of the upsurge in street fights and thuggery within Minna, the state governor, Umaru Bago has also declared a state of emergency on thuggery and other forms of restiveness in the state.
The governor told Journalists after the annual Mini Durbar organised by former Niger State governor, Dr Babangida Aliyu that the state government will not condone any form of criminal activity in the state.
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