BREAKING: Two Persons Killed, Others Injured As Police Open Fire During Niger Council Election
Two persons were reported dead and three others severely injured on Saturday following a violent clash during the local government election in Niger State.
SaharaReporters learnt that the incident occurred in the Central Ward of Kontagora, one of the 25 local government areas where elections were held on November 1, 2025.
SaharaReporters gathered that tension had been building in Kontagora before election day after a lawmaker from the area was quoted last week saying ballot papers would not be taken to polling units during the council polls.
The comment reportedly caused outrage among residents, who accused local officials of plotting to manipulate the process.
Trouble began when a former Niger State Commissioner of Finance, Abdullahi Maikano, visited several polling units outside his registered polling unit to observe the voting process.
His presence, according to witnesses, angered some youths who confronted him and barred him from entering.
“The incident happened when former Niger State Commissioner of Finance Abdullahi Maikano visited some polling units different from his register polling unit to observe the election process but the youth restricted him, telling him that he will not be allowed to as that in not is polling units.”
As Maikano attempted to leave after an argument with the youths, the situation turned chaotic. Some of the youths started throwing stones at him, prompting police officers to intervene.
“And when he was leaving after back and forth, some youths started throwing stones at him. That was that led the police to intervene and started shooting sporadically and two persons was confirmed dead and 3 other severely injured.”
Eyewitnesses said the sporadic shooting caused panic among voters, forcing many to run for safety.
Following the incident, election activities in the Central Ward of Kontagora were immediately suspended.
In a related development, one person was reportedly shot in Agaei Local Government Area during the same election.
Meanwhile SaharaReporters had earlier reported that a Niger State lawmaker, Aliyu Ahmed Sheshi, insisted that ballot boxes and papers would not be taken to polling units for electorates to vote in the coming November 1 local government election.
Sheshi, who represents Wushishi Constituency in the Niger State House of Assembly and also serves as the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign committee in Wushishi Local Government Area, made the statement on Monday during a campaign rally in Wushishi town.
A video clip obtained by SaharaReporters had showed the lawmaker addressing party supporters in Barwa political ward, where he stood by his earlier comments and refused to amend them despite criticisms.
SaharaReporters earlier reported growing tension across several LGAs, including Wushishi, over alleged imposition of candidates and intimidation of opponents.
