Soldier, 3 others killed as truck rams into cars
Four persons, including a soldier, were killed while many others were injured when a truck conveying gravel went out of control and rammed into some vehicles in Nyanya, Abuja, early yesterday.
Daily Trust gathered that the incident which occurred at about 10am close to the Nyanya Tipper Garage followed another incident involving a woman whose vehicle was hit by a male motorist shortly after the Karu flyover bridge while they were heading to Nyanya from the city centre.
Witnesses said in an effort to force the man to stop, the woman drove faster and blocked him, drawing the attention of other road users and blocking movement. A witness, Ibrahim Isma’il, said a solider, who got to the scene, was appealing to the woman to park her vehicle off the road when the truck rammed into the vehicles, including that of the woman. He said four persons including the soldier, the woman and the man died instantly.
Other witnesses however said more people died in the incident. Another truck conveying soft drinks also got out of control and hit some commercial motorcyclists, moments after the first incident. Road Safety officials took the victims to the Nyanya General Hospital while those in critical condition were taken to the Abuja National hospital. The Nigerian Army University, Biu, in Borno State will admit both military and civilian candidates, the leader of the implementation committee, Major General Lawal Faskari, disclosed yesterday.
Speaking during a courtesy call on the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hajiya Khadijat Bukar Abba Ibrahim in Abuja, Faskari said the committee’s visit was to solicit her support and cooperation and that of the Federal Executive Council.
Faskari stressed the need for the host community of the proposed university to provide an enabling environment for its take off.
Responding, the minister commended the Nigerian Army for the initiative and promised to give all necessary support for its actualisation.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, had in June 2017, said the Army had already reached out to the National Universities Commission (NUC) to secure approval for the university.