Five people have lost their lives in a road accident involving a vehicle in Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s convoy along the Minna–Bida Road.
The victims were identified as four male students and a young woman, Nafisa, who was driving a Peugeot 206 that collided with a government-owned Hilux van at Gidan Mangoro community in Minna on Monday.
Nafisa reportedly died at the scene. She was said to work as a programme manager with Labspace, a non-governmental organisation, and also founded Wosh Mart Service Ltd.
A resident of the community, Abdullahi Musa, said the crash occurred at about 11:35am while Bago’s convoy was returning from Bida, where the governor 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.
According to Musa, the other occupants of the Peugeot were believed to be postgraduate students of the Federal University of Technology, Minna.
He blamed the collision on an alleged dangerous overtaking manoeuvre by the Hilux driver, claiming the private car was travelling in its proper lane when the crash occurred.
“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.”
A staff member at Minna General Hospital disclosed that three victims died at the scene, while two others later died from injuries sustained in the collision.
“Some of the injured victims were subsequently referred to IBB Specialist Hospital for advanced medical care,” he said.
A former local government council chairman in Niger State was reportedly among the occupants of the Hilux. He sustained fractures to his legs but was alive at the time of the report.
The state’s FRSC Sector Commander, Aishat Sa’adu, confirmed the incident, noting that the victims had already been taken to the hospital before her officers arrived.
Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun also confirmed the crash, saying the command had begun investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“The accident occured this morning and we are investigating it,” Abiodun said.
