A group of angry youths believed to be miners, invaded the MI Wushishi housing estate in Minna, the capital of Niger State, on Tuesday causing significant destruction.
According to Channels News, the incident began when the police attempted to chase away the miners, who had been digging for gold within the residential area.
The community had previously alerted the police about the miners infiltrating their homes.
The miners, who arrived in large numbers, forced their way into the estate, destroying vehicles and buildings. Frightened residents fled their homes, fearing further attacks.
One eyewitness shared, “The miners came in a large group and started destroying everything in sight. We had to leave our homes because we were scared they would come back.”
It was learned that the miners had vowed to return with reinforcement, leaving the situation in the community tense. Many residents are now calling for increased security measures to protect them and prevent more violence.
However, the State Chairman of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Yusuf Mami, speaking to Channels Television via a telephone interview, denied that the attackers were miners. He stated, “The attackers were not miners, and no member of the association was reported to have taken part in the destruction.” Mami did acknowledge that some youths in the community dig up soil randomly in search of gold and can become violent.
