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Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has expressed shock over the road accident that killed 25 people.
The lone accident that occurred Tuesday at Takalafia village on the Yawuri motorway in Magama Local Government of Niger State was said to have been caused by a speed violation that resulted in the loss of control.
In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, the governor described the accident as unfortunate and avoidable.
He decried the insensitivity of some drivers, especially those who violate the established traffic rules and end up causing harm to people and their loved ones.
Governor Umaru Bago cautioned drivers, particularly of trailers and other haulage vehicles, to desist from conveying passengers in their vehicles as it poses serious dangers to the lives of the passengers and other road users.
He said his government will work closely with relevant government authorities both at the local, state, and federal levels to ensure that stringent penalties are meted out to traffic rule violators.
While commiserating with the families of those who died in the crash, the governor prayed to God to forgive their shortcomings and grant them paradise, as well as quick recovery for those who were injured.
The trailer was said to be heading to Lagos from Sokoto State, conveying 229 people, comprising men, women, and children.
Out of the 229 people, 25 were dead, while others were rescued with various degrees of injury.
The injured victims are currently receiving medical attention at the Kontagora General Hospital, while the dead victims have been deposited in the mortuary of the same hospital.
The Minna Chief Magistrate Court number one has convicted and sentenced a dismissed police inspector of the Niger State Police Command to a two-year jail term for theft and selling of an AK 47 magazine and ammunition to suspected armed bandits.
Dismissed Inspector Yahaya Mohammed, second in command in charge of armoury with the Niger State Police command headquarters, was said to have conspired with one Ndaman Gana, who is also an officer in charge of the state police command armoury department.
The convict was arraigned on two counts of charges that bordered on criminal conspiracy and theft of Ak47 magazine and unlawful dealing in the sale of Ak47 magazine and ammunition.
According to police Prosecutor Ahmed Saidu, DSP, the two counts of charges contravened sections 97, (2), and 288(l) of the penal code and sections 27(6) (111) of Act 28 of 2004.
The Police First Information Report (FIR), made available in court and obtained by our reporter, revealed that through credible information received from a reliable source to the Department of State Service (DSS), attached to Rafi Local Government in Kagara, Niger State, "that unknown person transported goods inside Ghana-must-go bag, suspected to be arms to Kagara motor park.
Police detectives immediately swung into action and arrested ex-inspector Yahaya Mohammed, a police officer formerly attached to the Department of Operations second-in-command Amory Minna.
The charge further stated that during the police investigation, it was discovered that the ex-police inspector conspired with one Ndaman Gana, the officer in charge of state armoury attached to the Department of Operations Minna, and took away 22 magazines and 61 live ammunitions of different calibre, property of the Niger State Police command.
When the charge was read to him by the presiding Chief Magistrate, Hajiya Fati Umar Hassan, he pleaded guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, DSP Ahmed Saidu, then told the chief magistrate to invoke the provision of Section 190 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Niger State by convicting him summarily and quickly adding that the convict was diagnosed with cough hemophysis.
While passing her judgement, the chief magistrate, Hajiya Fati Umar Hassan, expressed disappointment with the conduct of the convict as a police officer saddled with the responsibility of protecting the lives and property of the citizens.
"It is quite unfortunate as a police officer that your duty is to protect the lives and property of the citizens, and you now engage in selling amunitions to armed bandits that are terrorising and killing innocent citizens across the country.
"I will be lenient with you while convicting you with the option of a fine as a result of the contagious disease and with the medical report attached to the first information report.
"If not for the disease, I would have convicted you without the option of a fine so that other inmates would not be inffected by the disease.
You are hereby sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option of a N 100,000 fine", she declared.
Chief Magistrate Fati Umar Hassan then directed that he be taken to Chanchaga Leprosium Colony to serve his jail term if he could not pay the fine.
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