A roadside engine oil vendor, Ibrahim Mohammed Dada, has been hospitalised after he was allegedly hit by a stray bullet during a police operation to disperse protesters in Minna, Niger State.
Dada was reportedly struck at the popular Tunga Market on Thursday as security operatives moved to break up demonstrations over the deaths of 37 suspected artisanal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The vendor was receiving treatment at the Minna General Hospital when a correspondent visited the facility on Friday.
The protests, which began on Thursday, continued into Friday, with security operatives reportedly firing gunshots and using tear gas to disperse demonstrators.
NewsNGR had reported that 37 of the 65 suspected artisanal miners arrested by the NSCDC on September 15 and 16 died while in custody on Thursday.
Dada’s elder brother, Yakubu Dada Mohammed, said the victim was not involved in the protest when he was shot.
“Ibrahim was not participating in the riot or protest. He was standing in front of his kiosk where he sells engine oil when one of the police officers fired a gun in his direction and a bullet penetrated his head and destroyed his entire face,” Mohammed said.
He called for justice for his brother and urged authorities to establish the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
The incident has added to concerns surrounding the security response to the protests, which have been sparked by the deaths of the suspected miners.
When contacted, the Niger State Police Command spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, appealed for calm and said the incident would be investigated.
