Four people have died in a road accident involving a vehicle in the convoy of Niger State governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, along Minna–Bida Road.

The crash occurred around 11 a.m. on Monday at Gidan Mongoro, on the outskirts of Minna, when a Hilux van in the governor’s convoy collided head-on with a private car.

The convoy was reportedly returning from Bida, where Bago had attended the Fida’u prayer for the late Sagin Nupe.

An eyewitness, Danjuma Umar, a resident of Gidan Mongoro, alleged that the crash occurred when the Hilux driver attempted to overtake another vehicle and rammed into the oncoming car.

Report says occupants of the private car were suspected to be postgraduate students of the Federal University of Technology, Minna.

The car was reportedly driven by a woman who lived in Gidan Mongoro.

Three victims reportedly died at the scene, while another died after being taken to the hospital, bringing the death toll to four.

The deceased were identified as Nafisat Abubakar Aguye, a hub manager, Ibrahim Ado Bayero and George.

The identity of the fourth victim was not immediately available.

Among those injured was Dauda Chukuba, a former chairman of Shiroro Local Government Area and Director-General of Government House, who was reportedly receiving treatment at the IBB Specialist Hospital in Minna.

A former local government chairman travelling in the Hilux was also reported to have sustained fractures to his legs.

The injured victims were taken to Minna General Hospital, with some subsequently referred to the IBB Specialist Hospital for further treatment.

The Niger State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Aishat Sa’adu, confirmed the accident, explaining that her personnel arrived after the victims had been evacuated from the scene.

She confirmed that the crash resulted in casualties but could not immediately establish the total number of people involved.

The incident also drew attention to the capacity of the state’s public health facilities to respond to emergencies, following reports that a medical officer at Minna General Hospital raised concerns about the availability of personnel on ground to attend to the injured.

The officer was subsequently alleged to have been arrested by security operatives attached to the governor.

However, the circumstances surrounding the reported arrest had yet to be independently verified.

The accident occurred on the same day the governor was expected to attend the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress Campaign Council in Niger State, report also mentioned.

The independent ministerial committee investigating the recent deaths of 33 persons in the custody of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, has established the operation which culminated in the arrest of the late miners was illegal. 

According to the committee, the operation which led to the arrest of the suspects was without an “operational order” or approval from the national headquarters of the NSCDC.

In the Executive Summary by the chairman of the Committee, Jonathan Kure, on Tuesday in Abuja, when he presented the report to the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the committee cited the causes of death to include “overcrowding, unsuitable detention condition, failure of duty of care, inadequate supervision”.

It reads, “The committee concluded that the incident was a preventable custodial tragedy caused by severe overcrowding, unlawful and unsuitable detention conditions, failure of duty of care, disregard of repeated distress warnings, inadequate supervision, and wider systemic deficiencies.

“The evidence did not support claims that the death resulted from a disease outbreak. Available medical and forensic evidence instead indicated that the fatalities resulted from an environmental aphasia, an acute respiratory failure caused by prolonged confinement in a severely overcrowded and poorly ventilated detention cell, aggravated by heat stress and dehydration.

“The investigation included interviews with NACDC leadership, operational personnel, cell guards, medical staff, survivors, bereaved families, community representatives, and graveside managers. It also involved examination of arrest and detention registers, communication records, duty rosters, AZB registers, hospital and mortuary records, autopsy findings, and burial records. 29 of the 41 survivors were interviewed, including nine minors.

“Evidence from multiple independent sources was analysed and cross-checked to reconstruct events and determine responsibility. The committee established that the tragedy stemmed from enforcement operations against suspected illegal mining activities in and around Minna”

The Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have reached an agreement on a series of measures aimed at easing the economic difficulties facing workers, including a ₦70,000 transport intervention and the payment of 19 months’ arrears owed to health workers.

The resolutions were reached at a conciliation meeting held at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, following an earlier meeting convened on 22 October.

The meetings were organised to address concerns raised by the NLC over the rising cost of living, the implementation of the National Minimum Wage, petroleum pump prices, workers’ welfare and outstanding allowances.

Under the agreement, the Federal Government will provide a transport intervention of ₦70,000 across all levels for six months, beginning in November 2026.

The government also approved the peculiar allowance with effect from 1 May 2026. Payment of the arrears is expected to begin in November and will be made in three equal monthly instalments.

In addition, the 19 months’ outstanding allowances owed to health workers will be paid within three months, beginning in December 2026.

The meeting also agreed that the Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee would be constituted and commence work immediately. However, the parties remained divided over the effective date for implementing the new minimum wage.

On the issue of tax relief for workers, the meeting resolved that the matter would be referred to the National Executive Council, as taxation is a statutory issue.

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has submitted the list of beneficiaries and the cost implications of the proposed hazard allowance for agricultural officers to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission for verification.

The verification is expected to be completed within two weeks, after which the commission will issue an implementation template.

Similarly, the NSIWC is expected to complete an updated assessment of the cost implications of the proposed CONHESS adjustment within three weeks. The assessment will enable the Presidential Committee on Salaries to take a decision on the matter.

The Federal Government and the NLC urged state and local governments to participate in the intervention process and implement the agreed measures.

The parties also agreed to reconvene after one month to review the level of implementation of the resolutions.

The agreement was signed on behalf of the federal government by Dr. Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Timi Yakubu, Director-General, Budget, Dr. Garba Abdul S. U., Permanent Secretary (SWO), Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. For the NLC , its president, Comrade Joe Ajaero; For the Joint National Public Service Negotiation Council (JNPSNC), National Secretary, JNPSNC, Olowoyo Gbenga