Two minors injured as armed student clash over girlfriends

There was pandemonium in Suleja town, the headquarters of Suleja Local Government in Niger State, as rival groups clashed over girlfriends.

While it remains unclear whether the opposing group belonged to a different institution, our correspondent reports that the fight erupted between students of one Model secondary school in Chaichainiya and other local youths.

Umar Idris, a student of SSS 3 known as the “lover boy” and leader of the Model school gang, reportedly led his group—armed with dangerous weapons—in an attack against their local rivals during the weekend clash. Both factions reportedly used these weapons freely, prompting immediate intervention by police and local vigilantes to prevent the situation from escalating further.

Gunshots and teargas were fired to disperse the warring groups, causing widespread panic. In the ensuing chaos, shopkeepers hurriedly closed their businesses while residents sought cover. Tragically, two minors, aged 10 and 11, were struck by stray gunfire and rushed to Suleja General Hospital for treatment.

Security forces eventually restored order in the community. Initial sweeps led to the arrest of six suspects, a figure that later rose to eleven. Superintendent of Police Wasiu Abiodun, speaking on behalf of the Niger State Police, confirmed the incident and the subsequent arrests, noting that the suspects are now in custody for further investigation.

According to police statements, on March 6, 2025, at about 11 p.m., reports emerged of a fight involving youths and secondary school students in the Chaichainiya area along Kaduna Road. Gunshots were heard from multiple directions during the altercation, and two victims—Nura and Imrana, aged 10 and 11 respectively—suffered gunshot injuries.

A preliminary investigation revealed that a personnel from a sister security agency was responsible for the gunshot injuries sustained by the two minors. Police are taking further steps to uncover the root causes of the violence and bring all involved parties to justice.