By Kazeem Waris
Five persons, including four male students and a young woman, have died in a fatal road crash involving a vehicle in Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s convoy and a private car in Minna.
The accident occurred on Monday at Gidan Mangoro community along the Minna–Bida Road when a Hilux van in the governor’s convoy reportedly collided head-on with a Peugeot 206.
The woman, identified as Mrs Nafisa, who was driving the private car, reportedly died at the scene alongside the other occupants, suspected to be postgraduate students of the Federal University of Technology, Minna.
A resident of Gidan Mangoro, Abdullahi Musa, said the crash occurred at about 11:35 a.m. as the governor was returning from Bida, where he had paid a condolence visit to the Etsu Nupe and chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, over the death of Sagi Nupe, Hajia Aisha.
Musa alleged that wrongful overtaking by the Hilux caused the collision.
“The people in the private car died instantly, while those in the government Hilux sustained serious injuries, with the driver dying on the spot.
“The accident was caused by wrongful overtaking by the Hilux in the governor’s convoy. The other car was in its lane when the Hilux rammed into it,” he said.
A staff member of Minna General Hospital, where the victims were taken, also said that three people died at the scene, while two others later died from their injuries.
“Some of the injured victims were subsequently referred to IBB Specialist Hospital for advanced medical care,” the source said.
It was gathered that a former local government council chairman in the state was among the Hilux occupants and sustained fractures to his legs.
The Niger State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Aishat Sa’adu, confirmed the crash but said her officers arrived after the victims had been evacuated to hospital.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Superintendent of Police Wasiu Abiodun, also confirmed the incident, saying it was under investigation.
“The accident occurred this morning and we are investigating it,” he said.
