Bida Poly Students And Indigenes Clash In Niger State

A major fight between students of the Federal Polytechnic Bida and Indigenes of Bida culminated in the death of multiple people while several were injured and are currently receiving treatment in the hospital. According to reports, the clash was started by a conflict between a commercial river and students of Bida poly who boarded his vehicle and it soon escalated to become a communal clash.

The students reportedly boarded a commercial bus from Minna to Bida on Saturday and agreed with the driver to take them straight to the campus. But when they got to Bida, the driver took them to the park and ended the journey, informing them that that is normally the final bus stop. The students, who had paid to be taken to the campus, went to the garage officials to lay their complaints but they were ignored.

The students returned to the garage on Sunday with some of the Students Union officials to lay their complaints but they were beaten up by some boys in the garage. The students then returned to the campus, mobilized themselves and went back to Esso Motor Park in Bida to fight.

Multiple students were killed in the clash. A lecturer of Bida Polytechnic was also killed according to reports. A driver believed to be an indigene was also killed and this led to a full-blown communal clash between indigenes and students.

Efforts by the vigilante and the police to quell the crisis proved abortive. During the clash which lasted for hours, some shops were said to have been destroyed and vehicles had their windscreens smashed. A motorcycle was also burnt to ashes.