Five people lost their lives on Monday when a vehicle in the convoy of Gov. Mohammed Bago rammed into another vehicle, resulting in multiple fatalities.
PUNCH Metro learnt on Tuesday that the accident, which occurred at Gidan Mangoro in Minna, involved a Toyota Hilux conveying the Director-General of the Government House, Mr Dauda Chikuba, and another vehicle conveying five students of the Federal University of Technology.
Four of the five students died on the spot, while the driver of the Government House vehicle conveying the DG also died on the spot.
PUNCH learnt that while the governor’s convoy was returning to Minna, the vehicle conveying the students was heading towards Bida.
Eyewitnesses said the governor’s entourage was returning to Minna after the governor and his team paid a condolence visit to the Etsu Nupe and Chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, over the passing of the Sagi Nupe, Hajia Aisha.
The accident, which was described as a head-on collision, occurred at Gidan Kwanu.
The Director-General of the Government House was immediately rushed to a hospital for treatment, while the remains of the students and the driver were evacuated to an unknown destination.
“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 Government House DG was immediately rushed to a hospital and may remain there for some time, while the corpses of the students were taken to an unknown destination,” an eyewitness told PUNCH.
The spokesperson for the state police command, Superintendent of Police Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident, saying the accident was under investigation.
He did not, however, give the names of the deceased.
“The accident occurred this morning, and we are investigating it,” Abiodun said.