A deadly clash between rival illegal mining groups, Anguwan Kampani and Galaxy, in Minna, Niger State, has resulted in the death of a tricycle driver.

The biker was reportedly shot dead by police officers who intervened on Friday to control the situation.

The incident sparked outrage among tricycle drivers, who blocked the main road around the state secretariat, stopping the movement of vehicles from Chanchaga to the town to express their displeasure and demand justice.

The crisis is known to have started two days ago at an illegal mining site in the Wushishi subdivision, where a dispute over mining rights led to a general brawl between rival youth groups during which two people lost their lives. life.

DAILY POST learned that when the police became aware of the situation, they moved quickly to restore order and make arrests.

However, it was gathered that the police action led to more bloodshed on Friday, with at least one tricycle driver shot dead as the warring youths who clashed with dangerous weapons fled to escape their arrest.

Currently, the situation remains volatile, with heightened tension gripping the metropolis as fear increases among residents of Anguwan Kampani, Galaxy and other areas of Minna.

A resident of the area, Ladan Bashir, said: “When the police arrived in the area to arrest the warring youths and restore calm, they fled along with a tricycle driver who saw them.

“The tricycle, who was going about his business in a panic, jumped off his tricycle and started running in the same direction as the thugs.

“On seeing him running with them, the police shot him twice and he died. His body was taken to where cyclists gathered to protest his death.

Some tricycle drivers, outraged by the killing of their companion, allegedly by the police, have called for an investigation into the incident.

One of them, identified as Musa, said: “Our concerns are rooted in the belief that the police action was unjustified and excessive, resulting in the loss of an innocent life.

“We, the tricycle drivers, seek accountability and transparency in the investigation, ensuring that those responsible are brought to justice. »

However, when contacted, the State Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, who did not confirm the killing, told DAILY POST that investigation to unravel the circumstances of the death was underway.

According to him, “Reports were received this morning at around 9:00 a.m. that miscreants carrying dangerous weapons were fighting around Kafintella and Angwa-Kampani, while police patrol teams from Tudun-Wada and Maitumbi divisions were mobilizing in the region to restore normalcy.

“During the process, one person would have lost their life.

“Suddenly, the tricycles mobilized to block the road while reinforcements were sent and the road was cleared, normalcy was restored. »