The wife of a former Niger State Commissioner for Education, Abubakar Daja, and three of their children have died in a road crash involving a Sienna vehicle and a Mazda car.
The fatal accident occurred around 11:30am on Sunday at Shebe Village along the Kutigi-Bida Road in Niger State.
Daja, who hailed from Mashegu Local Government Area of the state, died in 2025.
He served as Commissioner for Education during the country’s return to democratic rule in 1999 and remained in office for two terms, leaving the position in 2007.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Daja’s widow, Hajia Daja, was travelling from Minna towards the Mokwa-Bida Road with her four children when the crash occurred.
The woman and three of her children reportedly died at the scene, while the only survivor, a teenage daughter, sustained serious injuries, including a fractured rib and shoulder.
An eyewitness from Mokwa Local Government Area, Salihu Abubakar, expressed concern over the girl’s condition, saying she was unconscious and had sustained severe injuries.
He said he was uncertain whether the teenager would survive the injuries.
Two occupants of the Sienna were also killed in the crash, bringing the total number of fatalities to nine.
Confirming the incident on Sunday night, the Niger State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Saadu, said 18 people were involved in the crash.
She stated in a WhatsApp message, “As of the time of rescue, 18 people were involved: seven injured, seven killed and four not injured.”
She added that the crash occurred at about 11:30am along the Kutigi-Bida Road at Shebe Village.