By Acheli Obidah
A woman has been confirmed dead and several others injured after a convoy linked to a prominent politician reportedly rammed into a commercial tricycle in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, on Saturday afternoon.
The incident occurred in Yola South Local Government Area when a convoy associated with Mr Emmanuel Musa, a popular politician and 2027 governorship aspirant, allegedly drove recklessly through the town and struck the tricycle conveying passengers.
Witnesses said the impact left some occupants of the tricycle critically injured, while at least one woman died instantly.
The injured victims were rushed to the Accident and Emergency Unit of the Modibbo Adama Teaching Hospital, Yola, where they received treatment before being transferred to the female ward for further care.
Relatives of the victims accused the convoy of failing to stop after the collision and alleged that no form of concern, apology or assistance has been extended by Mr Musa or his team since the incident. The development has sparked public outrage and renewed criticism of reckless driving by political convoys in the state.
Speaking to journalists, Magdalene Stephen, a sibling of two of the victims, said her sisters, Comfort and Ijagla, were inside the tricycle at the time of the crash.
“I was attending a wedding reception when I received a call that my sisters had been rushed to the Accident and Emergency Unit at Modibbo Adama Teaching Hospital, Yola,” she said. “I was confused and immediately went to the hospital. When I arrived, my sisters were in severe pain.”
Ms Stephen said her family bore all the medical expenses incurred during the four days her sisters spent in the hospital.
“The convoy did not stop to show any concern or remorse. No one reached out to us while my sisters were on admission or even after we were discharged to continue treatment at home,” she added.
She said the family’s frustration stemmed from what they described as a complete lack of empathy following an incident they believe resulted from reckless driving.
“At least, there should have been a sign of remorse to show that it was not intentional. From all indications, it was reckless driving that led to the death of an innocent woman and caused my sisters so much pain,” Ms Stephen said.
Calling for accountability, she urged the authorities to ensure that the driver involved is investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
“We are not after money. All we want is justice and a show of concern for what happened to our loved ones,” she said. “It is painful to see my sisters still suffering from severe pain because of this accident.”
Ms Stephen also appealed to the government to take stronger measures against reckless driving within towns and cities to prevent similar incidents in the future.
As of the time of filing this report, there had been no official response from Mr Musa or his representatives regarding the incident.
