From Attah Ede, Makurdi

No fewer than six passengers have died in a fatal road accident involving an 18-seater Benue Links bus and a truck allegedly belonging to CHEC Construction Company along the Otukpo- Makurdi expressway.

The accident occurred at the weekend at about 4pm near the moribund Benue Burnt Bricks factory, and equally left 12 other passengers badly injured.

An eyewitness explained that the affected bus was conveying passengers from Makurdi to Otukpo and had almost reached its destination when the crash occurred, less than three kilometres away from Otukpo town.

The eyewitness further revealed that five of the passengers died instantly at the scene of the accident, while another victim later succumbed to injuries at the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Otukpo (FUHSTHO), where the injured were rushed for medical attention.

“It is really unfortunate that the passengers were already in Otukpo and heading into town when the truck ran into the bus on the dusty road due to the ongoing construction work,” the eyewitness said.

“There was poor visibility because of the dust. The driver of the truck probably did not see the bus approaching and rammed into it. Five passengers died on the spot while another later died at the hospital,” he added.

According to him, some of 12 surviving passengers, including a seven-month-old infant, sustained various injuries.

A medical source at the hospital who also disclosed that the victims were promptly admitted and are currently receiving treatment said “under the guidance of the medical team, the patients are receiving treatment and are responding positively to care.”

Confirming the development, the Public Relations Officer of Benue Links, Mr. Johnson Ehi, said the company had taken responsibility for the treatment of the injured passengers.

“The casualty figure is six, there are five males and one female. The bus was an 18-seater, it was travelling from Makurdi to Otukpo when the truck ran into it.

“The remaining 12 passengers are responding to treatment. We have taken over their medical bills at the FUHSTHO.”

Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, Udeme Edet, for comments were unsuccessful.

President Bola Tinubu has paid glowing tribute to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on his 89th birthday.

Tinubu rejoiced with the elder statesman, describing his influence in Nigeria, Africa and globally as significant.

The President’s message is contained in a statement issued by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Tinubu noted Obasanjo’s courage and sacrifices in service to the nation.

He recalled that Obasanjo served as military Head of State from 1976 to 1979 and handed over power to a civilian administration in 1979.

The president also highlighted his tenure as Nigeria’s first civilian leader in the Fourth Republic from 1999 to 2007.

Tinubu affirmed the former leader’s historic roles, including fighting to preserve Nigeria’s unity and advocating democracy.

He also acknowledged Obasanjo’s time in prison for opposing military rule and his efforts in advancing Africa’s political and economic interests.

“As Chief Obasanjo turns 89, we recognise the zeal and wisdom he continues to bring to Nigeria’s development,” the President said.

Tinubu commended the former president’s intellectual contributions through books and public interventions.

He prayed for more years of good health, strength and wisdom for Obasanjo as he continued to serve the nation and humanity.

The Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar has called for the implementation of existing laws in the country by security agencies and other stakeholders to curb the proliferation of small arms.

Abubakar made the call on Tuesday in Abuja during a consultative meeting on strengthening Nigeria implementation of the UN Programme of Action and International Tracing Instrument ahead of the 2026 Biennal Meeting of States.

The meeting was organised by the West African Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA).

The theme of the meeting is “Ehancing National Coordination, Data Reporting and Civil Society-Government Engagement on Small Arms Control in Nigeria”.

The Etsu Nupe said the meeting was to show that relevant stakeholders had significant roles to play in the proliferation of small arms in the country.

He said the increasing rate of small arms possession by those not entitled in the country had become a source of worry, adding that there was a need to address the trend.

He also said that the increasing rate of illegal possession of the weapons was dangerous and could lead to disaster if not controlled.

He pledged the commitment of the traditional institutions to support the law enforcement agencies in the implementation of laws to control small arms possession in the country.

In his remark, Martins Igwe, the Regional Vice President, WAANSA, said the decisions reached at the meeting would be advanced to international action to complement their efforts.

He blamed the challenges of small arms proliferation in the country on lack of political will to implement some of the existing laws.

He said that one of the decisions reached at the meeting was to integrate the traditional institutions into the campaign against small arms proliferation.

Igwe said the traditional rulers would be integrated considering their roles as the custodians of the local community.

In his keynote address, Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah, the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of ECOWAS said illicit arms and light weapons were threats to security, development, governance and human dignity.

Musah, represented by Joseph Ahoba, the Director, Small Arms Unit, Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department of ECOWAS said every weapon moved from illicit circulation represented lives protected and communities stabilised.