Niger governor’s convoy crash kills four students, driver

Five people, including four students of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, have died in a road crash involving a vehicle in the convoy of Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago.

The accident occurred on Monday at Gidan Mangoro in Minna, involving a Toyota Hilux conveying the Director-General of the Government House, Dauda Chikuba, and a vehicle carrying the students, according to a report by PUNCH published on Tuesday.

The four students and the driver of the Government House vehicle died at the scene, while Mr Chikuba was taken to a hospital for treatment, the report said.

The crash reportedly occurred as the governor’s convoy was returning to Minna after a condolence visit to the Etsu Nupe and Chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Yahaya Abubakar, over the death of Sagi Nupe, Aisha.

The vehicle conveying the students was travelling towards Bida when the collision occurred.

An eyewitness quoted by PUNCH described the incident as a head-on collision and alleged that the governor’s convoy was travelling at high speed.

“It was a head-on collision. We learnt that the convoy was at high speed when the accident occurred. It was a terrible accident,” the eyewitness said.

The report did not independently establish the cause of the crash.

The spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the accident and said the police had begun an investigation.

“The accident occurred this morning, and we are investigating it,” Mr Abiodun was quoted as saying.

The police spokesperson did not disclose the identities of the deceased.

Further details about the circumstances of the collision and the condition of the injured government official were not immediately available.