KANO—No fewer than 25 persons died in Abuja, Kano, Makurdi and Kontagora yesterday, while celebrating the victory of President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd).
While 17 of the victims died in Kano, four died in Abuja, three in Kontagora, Niger State and one in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, while several others sustained injuries.
However, police authorities in Kano claimed only seven bodies of unknown person were discovered by their men after the celebration, Tuesday night.
An eyewitness, Ali Sufi of Naibawa quarters said three people were crushed to death at Naibawa U-turn, when a man in a Toyota Camry car lost control and rammed into those celebrating.
Sufi, further disclosed that one Sabo Ali, an ad hoc staff of communications giant, Etisalat, lost his life alongside his friend when a reckless driver knocked them down at Ungwa Uku end of Zaria Road within Kano metropolis.
Late Ali’s guardian, Mallam Idi Naibawa, confirmed that Sabo died yesterday morning at Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital from injuries he sustained in the accident.
Idi Naibawa explained that “a good Samaritan, who identified Sabo’s motorcycle reported the accident, and our fear was confirmed at Yarakwa police station that rescued and took him to the hospital.
“We have accepted his death as a fulfilment of destiny and barring any hitch, Sabo would be buried before 5p.m. local time today (yesterday).”
Another resident of Naibawa quarters, Ibrahim Dogo, said that two teenagers were crushed to death along Zaria Road by a crazy driver.
Dogo said: “We received two dead bodies this morning at the Tiga Naibawa quarters and we are set to bury them.”
Reports from Hotoro also confirmed the death of six youngsters during the crazy celebration that engulfed the commercial city.
According to a resident, Masaud Badamasi, “we lost six boys to the crazy celebration last night and we are getting ready to give then a heroic burial.”
Vanguard further learned that two persons lost their lives at Bachirawa/Kurna axis of the city, while report from Gwarzo local government indicated that two people were crushed to death by a motorist.
Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Magaji Majia, said: “We discovered seven dead bodies of unknown persons on the streets after the celebration and investigations has commenced on how and why it happened.”
He said the development had forced the command to sponsore radio jingles to sensitize the city dwellers on how to go about the victory dance.
The police spokesman revealed that Divisional Police Officers had been mandated to monitor the celebrants to minimize casualty, while victory dance lasts.
Acrobatics in Makurdi
In Makurdi, Vanguard learned that the victims were among youths in Wadata and North Bank area, who since the announcement of the election results, had been engaged in dangerous acrobatic displays with their motorbikes around the town.
According to a source, the unidentified youth met his death at North Bank, when he fell off his motorbike in one of his displays and gave up the ghost before he could get medical attention.
The source said: “Since the announcement of the presidential results, most of the youths took over the streets, many of them that have motorbikes removed the mufflers of their bikes in other to generate much noise as they rode dangerously in the streets.
“Unfortunately, one of them fell off his bike, broke his neck and eventually died before he could get medical attention.
“The other two sustained injuries in similar circumstance, but were lucky to have survived the crash and are presently receiving treatment in a private hospital in the area.”
At press time, youths were still in the streets at Wadata and North Bank areas, celebrating the victory with many of them still displaying dangerously with their motorbikes.
Eyewitness account said the four who died in Abuja lost their lives while trying to climb the Lugbe Pedestrian bridge by Julius Berger junction with their motorcycles and fell.
Several others sustained injuries.
In Kontagora, Niger State, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olusola Amore, confirmed that three supporters of All Progressives Congress, APC, were crushed by a motorist, while jubilating on the highway.
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