Governor’s aide dies in accident on Abuja-Kaduna highway

A Senior Special Assistant to Governor Kashim Shettima died in an accident on the Abuja-Kaduna highway on Friday, an official has confirmed.The victim, identified as Farouk Musa, died after a car intercepted ‎a Hilux in which he was driving in the convoy of Mr. Shettima.Mr. Musa was until his death, Senior Special Assistant on Intergovernmental Affairs, resident in Abuja and interfacing between the Borno State Government and ministries, agencies and departments of the federal government as well as foreign agencies and embassies.
Only the Hilux carrying the deceased was involved in the accident.
Three persons survived the accident, the governor’s aide said. Two were to be discharged Friday night while one was admitted.
The governor arrived Kaduna from Maiduguri on board a Medview airline flight at about 4 p.m. on his way to Abuja. His convoy came from Abuja with the deceased aide for the purpose of driving to Abuja.
A government official who was at the scene said the accident was caused by a Prado 4-wheel drive which tried to make a U-turn on the highway. The Prado was said to be coming from opposite lane (from Abuja) and decided to make a fast U-turn onto the road leading to Abuja from Kaduna.
The pilot leading the governor’s convoy was said to have avoided the Prado while the ill-fated vehicle next to him tried dodging towards the right, but the vehicle skidded off the road and the driver lost control resulting in the Hilux turning upside down as a result of which occupants sustained various degrees of injuries.The deceased, aged 45 years, was said to have been thrown out the vehicle following which he sustained internal injuries.
Governor Shettima led the convoy back to Kaduna and the victims were first taken to St Gerald hospital where the governor’s aide was pronounced dead on arrival in the presence of Mr. Shettima. The governor was said to have aborted his trip and requested the transfer of the ill-fated vehicle driver, Mr. Modu, who was moved to Barau Dikko Hospital, also in Kaduna.
Sources said the late Mr. Musa was very close to Governor Shettima as they related for many years. The deceased was a federal civil servant before his appointment by Mr. Shettima during his first term.
He is survived by a wife and three children.
When contacted, Mr. Shettima’s Special Adviser on Communications and Strategy, Isa Gusau, who was also in the convoy, confirmed the accident and said the governor was still in a state of shock even though calm.
He also confirmed that the governor shelved his trip and was coordinating medications for the driver that was hospitalised and also working towards the funeral of the deceased which is expected to hold on Saturday.
Traffic has increased on the Kaduna-Abuja highway since Thursday after the government shut the Abuja airport and diverted all relevant flights to the Kaduna airport. Mr. Shettima’s flight was one of such diverted flights, and passengers are then expected to make the trip to Kaduna either by road or rail.

Source Premium Times