Five people, including four male students and a young woman identified as Mrs Nafisa, have died in a crash involving Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s convoy in Minna.
The accident happened on Monday at Gidan Mangoro community along the Minna–Bida Road when a speeding Hilux van in the governor’s convoy collided head-on with a private Peugeot 206 car.
Nafisa, an NGO staff member, Programme Manager at Labspace and founder of Wosh Mart Service Ltd, died at the scene.
Resident Abdullahi Musa told Vanguard that the crash occurred around 11:35am as Bago returned from Bida after visiting Etsu Nupe and traditional rulers’ council chairman Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar to offer condolences over the death of Sagi Nupe Hajia Aisha.
He said the car’s occupants were suspected to be postgraduate students of the Federal University of Technology, Minna.
“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 of Minna General Hospital told Vanguard that three victims died at the scene, while two others later died from their injuries. Some injured victims were referred to IBB Specialist Hospital for further treatment.
A former local government chairman in the Hilux suffered leg fractures but was alive at the time of the report.
FRSC Sector Commander Aishat Sa’adu confirmed the crash, while police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun said investigations were ongoing.
“The accident occured this morning and we are investigating it,” Abiodun said.
