2023: PDP Delegates Shot Dead In Niger

Four delegates for the Niger State Governorship Primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been allegedly shot dead by bandits at Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.

Chairman of the Electoral Committee and Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, announced this at the State PDP Secretariat, venue of the primaries in Minna, it is being reported.

The delegates were reportedly killed on Wednesday while returning to Mariga after the party postponed the primary election due to protest by some of the aspirants who were said to have expressed distrust with the delegates list.

Delegates were thereafter asked to bring their means of identification to authenticate their names and the election shifted to Thursday.

A source said the incident happened between Mariga and Tegina and four people lost their lives.

According to him: “We left Minna in the late hours when PDP postponed the Governorship Primaries to Thursday, and that we should go and bring our voter’s card or any means of identification.

“We were returning home to get our means of identification and on the road, we ran into bandits who opened fire on our vehicle. Though we were able to escape since the driver was not hit, but four people died instantly.”

It was learnt that the local government which shares border with Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna State, has served as hideout for bandits who terrorise the axis regularly.