Four male students and a woman have died in a road crash involving a vehicle in Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s convoy in Minna, the state capital.
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 private Peugeot 206 car.
The woman, identified as Mrs Nafisa, was driving the private vehicle. She reportedly died at the scene alongside the other occupants, who were suspected to be postgraduate students of the Federal University of Technology, Minna.
A resident of Gidan Mangoro, Abdullahi Musa, told Vanguard that the crash occurred at about 11:35 am as the governor was returning from Bida, where he had visited the Etsu Nupe and chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, to offer condolences over the death of Sagi Nupe, Hajia Aisha.
Musa alleged that the crash resulted from wrongful overtaking by the Hilux driver, claiming that the private car was in its lane when the convoy vehicle rammed into it.
“The people in the private car died instantly, while those in the government Hilux sustained serious injuries, with the driver dying on the spot,” he said.
A staff member at Minna General Hospital, where the victims were taken, told Vanguard that three people died at the scene, while two others later died from their injuries. Some injured victims were subsequently referred to IBB Specialist Hospital for further treatment.
The report also stated that a former local government council chairman in Niger State, who was travelling in the Hilux, sustained fractures to his legs but was alive as of the time of publication.
The Niger State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Aishat Sa’adu, confirmed the crash, saying her officers arrived after the victims had been evacuated to hospital.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police Wasiu Abiodun, also confirmed the incident and said an investigation was ongoing. He did not disclose the identities or number of those who died.
The circumstances surrounding the crash, including the allegation of wrongful overtaking, remain subject to investigation.
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