Five die as Niger governor convoy vehicle crash on Minna-Bida Road
- A Hilux in Governor Mohammed Bago convoy collide head-on with private car at Gidan Mangoro on Monday.
- Outlets put di toll at three, four or five, with FUT Minna students among di dead.
- Police and FRSC confirm di crash; police say investigation dey ongoing.
Five people don die after a vehicle in di convoy of Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago collide head-on with a private car on di Minna-Bida Road, according to reports from di scene. Di crash happen on Monday morning at Gidan Mangoro, on di outskirts of Minna, as di governor entourage dey return from Bida.
Outlets no agree on di death toll. Vanguard and Punch report five deaths, Daily Post report four, and Daily Trust report three. Daily Trust talk say two victims dem bring to Minna General Hospital dead and a third die for dia emergency unit. Vanguard quote one hospital staff member talk say three die for di scene and two later from dia injuries.
Those wey die for di private car dem suspect to be postgraduate students of di Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT Minna), residents tell reporters. Daily Post name three of di dead as Nafisat Abubakar Aguye, wey dem describe as hub manager, Ibrahim Ado Bayero and George. Vanguard identify di driver as Mrs Nafisa, an NGO staff member. Daily Post talk say na woman wey live for Gidan Mangoro drive di car. Di identity of di other victim no dey immediately available.
Punch report say di Hilux dey carry di Director-General of di Government House, Dauda Chikuba, and say im driver die for di scene. Daily Post talk say Chukuba, former chairman of Shiroro Local Government Area, dey receive treatment at IBB Specialist Hospital in Minna. Daily Trust report say a former council chairman inside di Hilux suffer fractures for im legs.
What witnesses and officials talk
Two residents, Danjuma Umar and Abdullahi Musa, tell reporters say wrongful overtaking by di Hilux cause di crash, wey dem talk say ram di oncoming car for im own lane. Di accounts put di time at about 11am or 11:35am. Punch quote one eyewitness talk say di convoy dey at high speed.
Di Niger State Sector Commander of di Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Aishat Sa'adu, confirm di crash but talk say her officers arrive after dem don evacuate di victims. She confirm casualties but no fit give number.
Niger State police spokesperson Superintendent of Police Wasiu Abiodun also confirm di incident and talk say investigation dey ongoing. He no give di names or number of di deceased.
Daily Post report say a medical officer at Minna General Hospital raise concerns about staffing to handle di injured and dem allegedly arrest am by security operatives attached to di governor. Di circumstances of dat reported arrest dem never independently verify.
Vanguard and Punch report say di convoy dey return from condolence visit by di governor to di Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, over di death of di Sagi Nupe, Hajia Aisha. Daily Post describe di trip as di Fida'u prayer for di late Sagin Nupe. Daily Trust talk only say di governor dey return from Bida.
What go happen next
Police talk say investigations dey ongoing. For travellers on di Minna-Bida Road, di crash na reminder of di risks of overtaking on di highway.
